Well, folks, we are ten months into a pandemic and many of us are back in some form of lockdown. This means we have to use our creative brains to help us stay connected with one another. While there may be exhaustion from zoom calls and House Party calls, it is important to remain connected.

I bet we are all experts in our own way of keeping ourselves connected, but I thought I would share with you ways I’ve creatively stayed connected with people in my life. 

Here are six ways to stay connected:

1. Share a meal together – Whether you make a meal together (but separately), order from a similar restaurant, or just eat whatever’s on hand, it could be nice to share it with someone in your life. I’ve had lunches with colleagues online and dinner with my mom across the country just to name a couple. 
2. Exercise with a friend – I’ve been doing this almost weekly since the spring. A dear friend and I both have the same exercise equipment, so we meet every Sunday morning, catch up and work out together. 
3. Online Scattergories – Ok, so Scattergories is one of my favourite games, and more recently a friend has hosted a couple of games nights where we just play this game. What’s great is that you can use random categories, or even add your own.
4. PowerPoint night – Ok, I have to admit I have not done this, but I’ve scrolled enough TikTok to see the potential this has. You and a group of friends each make a PowerPoint presentation on anything you want (the more unique or niche, the better) and then present it to one another. It has the potential to be funny.
5. Food roulette – Ok, I think I’m making this as I type but you and some people you are close with are all responsible for ordering dinner for another person so you can share it all together. Everyone has a limit of cost and a list of allergens/preferences. Doesn’t that sound fun!

How are you staying connected as we continue to stay home and stay safe? Comment below.

Written by Alana Kaplan, Project Manager for the I Am Resilient Project.