Balancing Family and Friends During the Pandemic

The presence of COVID-19 has changed many aspects of our lives. This includes the way we learn, work, and even run errands. In addition to these changes in our lives, we are now spending more time at home, which means more time spent with our family than ever before.

    Compare your life before the pandemic to your life now and you will realize that you previously spent a greater amount of time outside of your home, be this at school, work or with your friends. But, due to COVID-19, many people, including myself, are getting their education from home. 

    I live with my family and have been spending a greater amount of time with them now than ever. Before remote learning, my days consisted of waking up early, taking the train to school, and then spending the greater part of my day in classes or at the school library. I would return home late in the afternoon and then I would see my family. Now that my siblings and I are learning remotely, I see them more frequently throughout the day. This new way of life has taken some adjusting, and in some ways I still am. It’s safe to say that learning to share a space with the same people every day for prolonged periods is no easy feat. 

    You may begin to feel locked down in one place because you are spending so much time in the same environment with the same people. If you have the opportunity, give yourself a break and try going for a walk around your neighborhood. Another tip is to interact with your family. Now that you are spending so much time together, you all have the chance to interact in ways you may not have before. If my siblings and I have the opportunity we might play a card game or a video game. It can be fun to interact together now because people are feeling more isolated.

    In addition to interacting with your family, it is essential to maintain the connections that you have with your friends. Many people are not able to meet up and see their friends due to social distancing. However, there are many alternative ways to keep in touch. The most common way is to text or call your friends, and if you want to see their face, setting up a zoom call or facetime can be a good alternative. There are interactive video chatting apps, such as Houseparty, where you can play games together.

    Maintaining a connection with your family and friends during challenging times can be tough but it can be rewarding. You can take advantage of the situation that you are in and try to better yourself. Make sure that you avoid being cooped up in one place with the same people all day by going out for walks. Lastly, be sure to check up on friends and plan time to hang out with them virtually.

Below I included some links with ideas of what you can do at home with your family:

1. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/30-fun-things-home.html
2. https://www.timeout.com/things-to-do/best-things-to-do-at-home-stuck-inside-bored
3. https://welkresorts.com/blog/things-do-home-during-covid-19-quarantine

Here are additional links to fun activities to do with your friends through a video call:

1. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g32098665/best-games-to-play-on-zoom/
2. https://www.marieclaire.com/home/a32268495/games-to-play-on-zoom/

Sincerely, 
Diana

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