We’ve all gained appreciation for the struggle of finding ways to stay sane and sharp during difficult times. Among the best strategies has been learning how to stay connected with loved ones and friends, even when it’s not necessarily easy or practical to do so. And while there isn’t much good to be said about the last year, this may be a valuable lesson over the long term.

As of this writing, there is considerable optimism that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, and life can begin to resume in an ordinary fashion. It’s a blissful thought, but also one that — in a strange way — is almost difficult to accept. While the resumption of ordinary life is an extraordinary gift, it is not total. Not only do we still need to take steps to protect ourselves and one another, but many will understandably be hesitant to do certain things until we are more completely free of the pandemic.

Chief among these things will be socializing in public spaces and, above all else, traveling. And because this may be the case for many at least through the remainder of 2021, it seems a good idea to look again at some fun ways to continue to stay connected with friends and loved ones over distance.

Zoom Hangouts
To many, this may sound unappealing at this point. Zoom fatigue is real, and it’s fallen upon most of us who have done a lot of video chatting over the course of the last 14 or 15 months — whether for work or for social activity. As much as there seems to be more or less universal agreement about that, however, there is also an emerging thought that the fatigue won’t last — that once we aren’t obligated or forced to use video chats, we’ll slowly learn to appreciate them again. This seems perfectly logical, and it’s why the occasional Zoom catch-up or yoga sessions with friends or family is still a good idea for the coming months. It doesn’t have to be a regularly scheduled thing or an obligation so much as a good way to check in with the people you care about.

Words with Friends

There has been a lot of talk about gaming as a way to socialize over distance, and it’s certainly a good solution for many people. Even for those who aren’t interested in more conventional, console-style multiplayer gaming, however, Words With Friends makes for a fun way to stay connected, my mom loves this. If you’re not familiar with it, this is a Scrabble imitation for mobile phones that has been around for more than a decade, and which still stands as an excellent multiplayer experience. You simply set up games against friends or family and take turns, playing when you can. It’s not deep socialization, nor is it a substitute for contact or phone calls. But it’s a great way of staying just a little attached to the people you care about on a consistent basis, and that’s not something to shrug off.

Online Poker
Another interesting gaming option for those who aren’t part of the console multiplayer scene is online poker. In decades past, that very phrase — “online poker” — was one that people associated primarily with high-stakes tournaments and budding professionals. Nowadays, however, the number of card-gaming platforms online and the variety of games they host make it easy to play poker with friends, with or without any sort of real stakes on the line. You can choose a platform, meet up with friends and family there, and even chat alongside an active game. In other words, you can set up a full virtual poker night, which is often one of the better distance simulations of a real-life “hangout” you can get.

Shared Viewing

Shared viewing experiences are also wonderful solutions, and the last ones that will be covered here. In case the phrase isn’t clear, this is a reference to streaming content with friends — something that was made possible through a few emerging services last year. And that’s about all there is to it! You can plan a time and a film or show with friends or family, log onto a shared streaming platform from different locations and watch in perfect sync — sometimes with a chat window open on the side. It’s not quite TV time in the living room or a trip to the theater with friends, but it’s a great time in and of itself, and it keeps you connected to the people you care about.

Options like these are important to keep in mind as we navigate the next few months, or even the rest of the year. We all learned the hard way how important it is to maintain connections even when close physical proximity isn’t an option. And while some social contact is increasingly possible, activities like the ones above can ensure that those connections are there even when in-person contact doesn’t seem like the best course of action.

Stay safe, connected and happy.