Health and Wellness

Fun Virtual Activities To Do With Friends

Written by: Sophia Ramos

Staying under self-isolation can be an overwhelming experience. Since a vaccine for COVID-19 is still under development, social distancing remains the strongest preventive measure against the virus. Because of this, being in public places is highly discouraged. You’ll need to stay at home and wait a bit longer to once again enjoy the daily happenings, just like before.

However, repeating the same things every day can make life feel bland, and not seeing your friends and family doesn’t make things any easier. Given that there’s no exact time as to when the pandemic can be under control, everyone will have to deal with this harsh reality in the meantime.

Fortunately enough, we live in a digital age. Thanks to the arrival of communication apps and video conferencing platforms, you can bond with your buddies and family members to help you ease into the new normal. If you’re looking for some fun virtual activities, the guide below will discuss seven online experiences you should try with your friends.

Game Night

Zoom goes beyond work, school, and other formal purposes. Because of its high-performance capabilities and easy-to-use interface, it’s been hailed as the go-to app even for all kinds of casual online interactions.

In case you want to make things more exciting for your next virtual hangout, you can host a game on the platform. From mind-bending quizzes and trivia to casual bingo and charades, Zoom will let you run any activity that comes to your mind. If you need some ideas on what to do, here are ten games you should consider playing!

Movie Night

Microwave some popcorn and get into your pajamas! If you have a Netflix account, then you should set a movie night with your siblings.

Google Chrome’s extension Netflix Party allows you to stream any movie or series with your loved ones wherever they may be. Once installed, you can host a viewing session with any group and have a chatbox on the side to discuss jaw-dropping or heartbreaking scenes.

Online Games

Due to the lockdowns imposed by governments, gaming has gained a lot of traction. Since everyone is spending most of their waking hours at home, the level of activity in the field has significantly increased. Developers are quick to adapt to trends, the rise of esports has accelerated, and gamers are constantly on the lookout for the next big thing.

Taking this into consideration, gaming with friends can be an excellent way to bond. If you want something casual, titles such as Among Us and Call of Duty are free and can be downloaded on any capable smartphone.

In case you want something more action-packed, there are also free games on Steam that you can download on your computer. Once you guys find a game to play, talking over Zoom or Discord should take the virtual experience up a notch.

Workouts

Is your old workout routine starting to lose its appeal? If the answer is yes, then it’s probably time to switch things up. Replacing easy exercises, increasing your weights, and buying new equipment are good ways to bring up the intensity of your program. But if this isn’t enough, you should try setting a virtual exercise session with friends.

Working out with your pals via Zoom hits two birds with one stone. First, it keeps all of your immune systems strong and allows you to stay in shape, especially if everyone spends most of the day on a desk.

Second, exercising with your friends is similar to having your gym buddies cheer you on. With this in mind, you guys should create a program or follow along with workout videos to get started.

New to fitness? Try out this 20-minute exercise video for beginners!

Wine/Beer Nights

Eating the right food and getting enough exercise is incredibly important during this period, but don’t forget to wind down every once in a while.

Ever since the start of lockdown, the temporary closure of public establishments probably made you miss going to the bar and having some drinks with your friends. But you can still buy alcohol from the grocery, provided that your area is not under a liquor ban, of course.

With that said, you can set a virtual drinking session. Chugging down beer over the camera may not fully simulate the experience, but it’s the best alternative you can take during this period. If one of your high school friends is celebrating his/her birthday soon, you should use this occasion as a reason to get together!

Cooking/Baking

Everyone has made it a point to learn something new during this period. Since people practically have more time in their hands, some have decided to learn an instrument or a new language. But out of all the activities, many have taken up cooking or baking as a new hobby.

If you have a friend that can’t stop posting freshly baked bread or mouthwatering dishes on his/her Instagram feed, have him/her help you! After all, cooking is an activity that is best done with others. Set up a camera in your kitchen so you can cook together remotely. If both of you are searching for new recipes to try, check out this guide for some easy-to-make dishes!

Karaoke Nights

Don’t let the pandemic stop you from bringing out your inner singer. As long as you have a stable internet connection and a video conferencing platform to hang out on, you and your friends have all you need to run a virtual karaoke bar. Just display the lyrics of your chosen song, play the instrumental on YouTube, and let your best friends score you from one to ten!

Even in Quarantine, Having Fun is not Prohibited

Even though spending months under quarantine may seem like the end of the world, don’t let this bring you down. Instead of waiting for things to go back to normal, you should find ways to make this period more pleasant.  Be healthy, keep yourself busy, pray for things to be better, and continue having fun!

Sophia Ramos is a communications specialist for SHOOR. An adventure-seeker, she’s always on the look-out for new experiences. Sophia’s not-so-secret guilty pleasure is binge-watching cheesy rom-coms and K-dramas.

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