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5 Ways To Stay Social During Lockdown.

We’re approaching week five of lockdown here in the UK, and by now the majority of people are getting the message; Stay safe, stay home and help flatten the curve. But being stuck in the house doesn’t mean that we have to give up being social altogether.

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We’re approaching week five of lockdown here in the UK, and by now the majority of people are getting the message; Stay safe, stay home and help flatten the curve. But being stuck in the house doesn’t mean that we have to give up being social altogether.

I’m introverted by nature and the majority of my life is spent at home. I can go days without speaking to anyone other than my partner and two cats, so I thought lockdown would be fine. I knew how to stay at home and avoid being social, I was a dab hand. But even I’m finding lockdown extremely isolating. I can’t go to work, I can’t see my friends, I can’t go to therapy and I can’t go home to see my family.

I didn’t leave the house much but I still liked to go to one or two places a week!

As crippling as lockdown is for our social lives, we’re very lucky to live in a time when there are multiple methods of communication.

You can also check out this post for additional ideas on how to stay entertained during lockdown.

5 Ways to stay social during lockdown!

>> Send a handwritten letter.

I love handwritten letters. My late grandmother and I used to exchange them when I moved to the city. We’d talk on the phone every day and then twice a month I’d get a letter posted through my door. There was nothing new to be told, everything we wrote about was a summary of our phone calls, but I didn’t mind. It was just lovely to share such an old fashioned and often forgotten medium with my grandmother. She had a great love of the written language and much like me, had hundreds of notebooks with various scribblings.

I’ll never forget however one of her letters was signed off with ‘Love You Always.‘ She even had her own professional labels with her name and address for the back of the envelope.

If you’re a lover of handwritten letters why send a few off to your friends and family? Provided your local post office is open and you have the means to deliver them, a handwritten letter requires little to no effort or expense.

You can keep it simple or you can design and print your own personal monogram using a monogram designer.
One of my first designs using the monogram designer.

I used the monogram app to design my own signature to place onto the back of envelopes or into emails. There are a variety of designs to choose from ranging from simple to something a little more exciting. Even better still is that the monogram designer is free to use and you can make as many as you’d like. Not only can you use the monogram designer to be creative while staying social, but you can also create logos for your blog, website or email signatures.

One of my favourite designs based on the 1920’s ‘Bioshock’ feeling.

>> Arrange a virtual quiz night.

You can create your own quiz by picking a mutual TV show, genre or a selection of general knowledge questions. Then arrange your time and hosting platform (like Zoom) and let the quiz begin! I’ve witnessed several pubs hosting online events via social media and even Youtubers have been live-streaming to boost morale (and raise money).

If you’re hosting your own quiz among friends why not play for prizes? You could arrange to pitch in and buy the winner an item from their Amazon wish list, or buy them a takeaway!

Are quizzes not your thing? Look online for traditional multiplayer games such as Cards Against Humanity or Pictionary.

>> Attend an online support group.

With the closure of public places inevitably comes the closure of seemingly ‘unnecessary’ mental health support teams. Understandingly hundreds of therapy sessions have been put on hold. Luckily I’m still able to keep up with my therapist online and over the phone, but sometimes that simply isn’t enough.

Where can you get mutual support online?

Facebook has tons of support groups for various anxieties, not just COVID-19. I’m in a local mental health support group and although I don’t frequent much, I know it’s there should I need to talk. I’m also in various eating disorder recovery, anxiety, and general depression groups.

Turn2me also has support groups running for depression, anxiety, income support questions, etc. All you have to do is create a profile and then book a spot in one of their support sessions. Much like regular support groups these run on a schedule. If you’re in need of urgent help try Facebook (for general advice) or a helpline.

Try google to find a local support group, a live stream or something that suits you. Even if it’s just a chat room it still counts toward your social bar. I’ve attended a few online support groups prior to COVID-19 and found them all very helpful. I’m a socially anxious person at the best of times so hiding behind a computer screen works well for me.

>> Throw a movie night!

The cinema’s closed. Nipping to our mates house for a movie marathon is off the cards. How can we possibly host a viewing of the latest Ru Paul’s Drag Race if we can’t be within two feet of each other?

Netflix Party is a free to use app that allows you to watch Netflix with your friends. You can create or join a party to start watching the latest episodes or movies on Netflix.

Need some viewing suggestions?
  • Tiger King.
  • Ru Paul’s Drag Race.
  • Queer Eye.
  • Good Girls.
  • Dead to me.
  • Any of the Studio Ghibli movies.
  • Rick & Morty.
  • Sex Education.
  • Big Mouth.

There are any amount of TV shows and movies to choose from.

>> Online multiplayer games.

If you’re a video game nerd then you might be LOVING this whole lock-down thing. There’s no shame in enjoying the break from society. Even I’m coming to grips with it. Without my Nintendo Switch, I’d have gone crazy by now, and that goes double for my partner. He’s been able to stay up late playing online games with his pals, something he hasn’t done in years.

Although not social in the ‘traditional’ sense, chatting with friends over World of WarCraft can be just a therapeutic as a coffee date. I’ve been able to meet up with my best friend in Animal Crossing, and I’ve even been able to meet up with some of you!

How do you stay social when stuck at home? Have you found any creative ways of maintaining contact with the outside world?

77 comments

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  4. We did a quiz last night and it was so fun! I would definitely recommend it!
    Thank you for reading pet! I hope you’re all keeping well. x

  6. Funny, reading this today. My husband was JUST telling me how he organized a virtual quiz night for he and his friends tonight. Sounds fun!

  7. Some great suggestions thank you for sharing. A virtual quiz with the family sounds like a good idea lol

  8. Thank you so much for reading! It’s lovely to sit down with a movie & some popcorn. I would argue even nicer than going out for the evening. x

  10. Thanks for sharing these great ideas!
    We should all take advantage of this period of time to make it fulfilling!

  11. These are all great ideas. I might start playing online games with my friends this week.

  12. These are really fun ways to keep busy and keep having fun with your friends.

  13. I love these! I have been sending handwritten letters and I think it’s such a good way to be social during this time. I love letters.

  19. Thank you so much for reading and commenting. I find it hard to step back and ignore my handwriting, but I know my grandfather doesn’t mind.
    x

  25. These are some great ideas. I love watching movies with my family and eat popcorn together.

  30. Sometimes we use RPG games to entertain and to chat with our friends online. Writing hand written letters would be so nice, and great collectible.

  31. I love these ideas! Hand-written letters are amazing – I still have ones my best friend wrote when we were kids (she’d use different colour pens for each paragraph!) And I’ve been Netflix Partying Drag Race for a few weeks now and agree it’s just the best way to watch a show – I’m going to carry on doing it long after lockdown ends 😀 Thanks for these great ideas!

  32. online multiplayer games and video conferences are my ways to stay in touch with friends

  33. I miss hand written letters so much what a fun touch! Also I think its over 45 million people now have watched tiger king lol

  35. I love writing letters – great idea. Also, I’ve been really enjoying connecting with my mom and brother over video calls. We’re talking more now than ever before!

  36. Love the idea of the online quiz night! Those are so fun, it’s always interesting to see all the random crap you happen to know ;-). For Netflix bingeing I also suggest The Good Place, it’s hilarious and incredibly awesome <3

  37. I love these ideas too! I attended an online support group today. I also want to play trivia games with my family members. Hopefully they can jump on!

  38. My daughter has been watching movies in watch groups with her friends. I’m intrigued by the idea of a virtual quiz. Thanks.

  39. Such great suggestions! I have been doing zoom calls with my family very regularly. It is interesting because with how busy my schedule has been prior to this pandemic, I rarely had time to be social. Since I have been at home I have had time to write thank you notes, text and call those I haven’t seen in awhile and connect with people in a way I hadn’t in quite awhile. It is good to know we are apart but all going through this together!

  40. Love your list of ways to stay connected with people. I’d just stay away from the handwritten letters, as my penmanship gets really sloppy, the longer I write. Glad blogging does not require that!

  41. These are some great suggestions. My favourite thing recently has been doing Zoom meetings with friends from around the world. I was in one last night chatting with a group of 18 friends for a few hours last night and it was a great feeling to have that connection!

  42. Handwritten letters are always the best things for me. I haven’t been watching a lot of netflix shows but I may start doing that. Tik tok is defnitely helped me pass the time…too much time though lol. Great post.

  43. These are some good ways to stay social during this difficult time. You gave me some excellent tips, thanks. – Paolo

  44. I do agree it is so meaningful, we shouldn’t let the quickness of communication by technology turn a handwritten letter into a thing of the past. I cherish many that I’ve received over the years.

  45. First time in the life we are facing this type of pandemic, I have re-read the available books, and online books, the number will be more than double if i compare it with last two years reading.

  46. I love handwritten letters! Thanks for the idea. I will think of a list of people Im going to send the letters to. 🙂 I guess it’d be sweet..

  47. Excellent insight! It’s great that we have something positive to think of right now in relation to covid. I think that some of these tips to socializing will continue after the world calma

  53. That’s great that you’ve found something to do! I’ve been meaning to work on my book but the inspiration isn’t there. Hopefully next week. x

  55. Thank you for reading. I love sending letters but sadly our post office just closed so I have no idea how I’m going to get them sent now.
    I’ll have to settle for email!

  58. I’ve been using a few since this whole thing started, mostly on FB and the eating disorder groups. It’s helpful and easier to deal with that a social meet up.
    Thanks for reading Jenny! x

  60. Woww you have shared very good and interesting ideas by this way we will not feel alone and best way to spend time in quarantine.

  61. Ooooh! I love the different things you can do during lockdown. The monogram app looks pretty neat! So much easier to put together a logo.I’ve been big on multiplayer games lately. What perfect time for co-ops to be a thing! Thanks for sharing all of these great ideas!

  62. I too am an introvert and thought this would be a piece of cake. And I have done most of the above things. But I am so missing physically being with my friends. I hope this all ends soon. This is such a bummer.

  65. these are some fun suggestions!!! thanks for the ideas!! we all need appreciate some more that’s for sure

  68. I love the handwritten note idea. I just purchased a set of blank cards so my kids and I can do this.

  69. Online multiplayer games,throw a movie night! these are amazing option to being social in lock down…. thanks for sharing these with us.

  73. OMG! You’re just like me. I have been sending handwritten letters. My friends LOVE them. I guess it is nice to see something that’s not a bill come in the mail…and to know someone is thinking about you 🙂

  74. Socialization during this lockdown also had to change, but it must remain that’s why your post becomes fundamental.

  75. These are really great ideas! I just had a virtual tea party with my friend and it was awesome.

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