This is a sponsored guest post.
The best ideas for online hangouts and more so you never miss a moment. Stay in touch with loved ones by following the top 5 ideas for meeting up virtually.
Social distancing can put a damper on our social lives. The big family gatherings … the all-night parties with friends … there are times when they may be on pause.
When traditional meet-ups are on hold, we can still connect with loved ones in other ways. But don’t fear, these new ways can be just as rewarding!
If you’re looking for different ways to hang out and catch up with your loved ones, here are five fun ways to do it virtually.
1. Throw a Virtual Happy Hour
Missing girls’ night out? Wishing you could get together for a guys’ weekend? Instead of in-person partying, host a virtual happy hour!
You can host a Zoom party and invite your friends or call your group of besties on Facetime. You can still have your Friday night happy hour, you just have to do it from a distance.
Grab a bottle of wine or get a six-pack of beer before you jump on your call. Not in the mood to drink? Watching your friends getting tipsy can be just as entertaining.
If you really want to create the happy hour mood, play some music. You can also toast each other, and get some snacks to munch on while you’re chatting.
What if you’re pining for Sunday brunch? Skip happy hour and host a virtual day-drinking session instead. Mix up a batch of bloody Mary’s or mimosas and have your girl talk over morning drinks.
The best part? You won’t have to call an Uber or worry about anyone driving home.
2. Have a Netflix Party
Wishing you could go to the movies with your friends? Netflix Party is the next best thing.
Maybe you prefer a quick flick. Maybe you’re in need of an entire day of binge-watching. Either way, Netflix Party lets you synchronize video playback with your friends.
Use the group chat feature to talk and upload GIFs and emojis while you watch.
So get your buddies together to watch a new or a favorite movie or watch some mindless reality TV. You can pop some popcorn, get comfy on the couch, and settle in just as if your friends were by your side.
To get started, you’ll need to install Netflix Party on your device. Then you can create a party by sharing the party URL with friends. You can also join a party by clicking on a URL that was shared with you.
Want to watch something on Hulu instead? They have a similar feature called Hulu Watch Party.
3. Digital Game Night
Missing out on your weekly game night? Lots of classic games have digital versions and apps that allow you to play with a group of friends.
Play a round of Battleship, race your friends in Mario Kart Tour, or host a digital Clue party. Even The Game of Life and Monopoly have online versions (if you’ve got a few hours to spare).
Prefer word games? Scrabble and Boggle both have online versions where you can compete against friends. This is a fun way to show your friends you’re still the best wordsmith of the group!
Social distancing may be squashing your in-person game nights. But it cannot kill your competitive spirit!
4. Co-Watching on Instagram
Co-Watching on Instagram lets you video chat with friends while scrolling your feed. You can also share/view posts with friends so that both of you can see the same content at the same time.
Instead of sharing a link with a friend you can read posts together. That way, you can comment or gossip or critique or laugh about what you’re seeing right then and there.
You can co-watch with up to six people at once, so get your friends together at the same time and start scrolling.
5. Go Old School With Phone Calls or Letters
Not everyone is tech-savvy. You may want to connect with someone who doesn’t want to FaceTime or jump on Skype or Zoom. Go old school by making phone calls and writing letters.
This is the perfect way to connect with people who don’t use social media or the newest tech.
Picking up the phone is the easiest thing to do. Sure, your inclination might be to start typing out a text message. But having an actual voice chat is a much more personal way to connect.
It’s an especially good option for grandparents or older relatives. They’d rather hear your voice than read your brief text anyway.
Exchanging letters is another great way to connect with a loved one or a friend you haven’t seen in a while. Writing and mailing letters back and forth is a lost art, and now is the perfect time to bring it back!
Plus, a physical letter is something you can keep forever and look back on. Just like you might do with old text message threads in your phone.
Conclusion
There’s no question about it — social distancing is a bit of bummer. We all miss partying with our friends, seeing our parents, and hanging out with our nieces and nephews. Luckily, there are tons of virtual ways to connect with the people you love!
- Throw a virtual happy or brunch
- Have a Netflix Party or Hulu Watch Party
- Get competitive with a digital game night
- Co-Watch videos and posts on Instagram
- Write letters and make phone calls
So whatever it is you’re doing today, make it a point to carve out some time to connect with people you miss.
A simple phone call or even a quick FaceTime chat is a great way to connect. Let the people you love know that, even though you can’t see them, they’re always in your heart!
Author Bio:
Caitlin Sinclair is the Property Manager at The Charlie with 5 years of property management experience and many more in Customer Service. She shares her passion for her community and looks forward to making The Charlie the place to call home.
