A few months ago, we gave you some ideas of ways to safely get out of the house while Covid-19 is spreading rapidly in South Carolina. However, some people aren’t quite ready to leave their homes yet, or just aren’t willing to subject themselves to the elements . While it might feel like not going out eliminates any chances of socializing with loved ones, there are multiple methods through which to interact with friends and family without compromising your personal health or comfort.
- Use Facetime. Although this might be the most obvious option, use Facetime or another video-chat application to catch up with friends and loved ones. In one of their recent updates, Apple allowed for Facetime calls with more than one other person, making Facetime the perfect option to interact with a group of people without being physically around a group of people. The downside to Facetime is that all parties have to have an Apple product. If not everyone does, though, there are other options, such as Zoom, Skype or Discord, all of which allow for calls between multiple people and have apps that can be downloaded to any phone.
- Watch a TV show or movie together. It’s easy to take simple social events, like having people over to watch a movie. While it still might not be as safe to have people in your home, that doesn’t mean that you have to completely miss out on binging Netflix with your friends. Screenr and Netflix Party are two Google Chrome extensions that allow for you to sync up your streaming service with your friends’. While Netflix Party is only compatible with Netflix, Screenr is available for more services, such as Hulu, Disney Plus, or HBOMax. Now you can watch TV with friends or family without worrying about them not pausing while you get up to get a snack.
- Have a virtual game night together. Rather than gathering in close quarters, there are multiple options to have a game night with loved ones virtually. One of the most common in the app, Houseparty. Houseparty is compatible with any phone type and allows for a group of people to play a variety of in-app games together while video chatting. It’s definitely not the same experience as sitting around a Monopoly board together, but it’s much safer.
- Go on a virtual tour. The Greenville Museum of Art is closed, making it hard for art lovers to get their fix. However, museums across the world, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum or the Louvre, are offering virtual tours. Although it is not the same as being in a museum physically, it is still an opportunity to virtually explore all the exhibits these museums have to offer. Just call a friend or two and keep them on the phone and you can visit a museum together.
- Cook “Together.” A lot of people have enhanced their cooking or baking skills in quarantine. A great way to keep practicing those skills is to pick a recipe with some friends and family members and make it on Facetime or another video-chatting app together. Once you’re done cooking, eat together. Even though it is not the same as getting to sit down and eat together physically, it is an alternative, especially for those who do not want to bring people into their homes, but still enjoy cooking for or with loved ones.
