While people might consider working from home to be a bonus of quarantining, one of the major downsides is figuring out how to meet people during covid. Depending on what safety restrictions are in effect in your city or country, you might be finding yourself feeling isolated and lonely and at a loss for how to go about connecting with new people. However, you don't have to lose hope just yet; there's a surprising number of ways for you to (safely) meet new people during covid, and these are just a few.
Meeting New People During Covid
Quarantine induced isolation isn't something to scoff at, and it makes taking time to connect with your loved ones all the more important. Thankfully, many businesses, restaurants, and gyms have devised ways for people to have socially distanced, but emotionally meaningful, meet-ups. Whether you choose to use the digital tools to search for a new partner or want to meet someone in-person through socially distanced activities, making sure to expand your social horizons in a time where outside factors have limited them will help you adjust to this new 'normal' for however long it may last.
Digitally Driven
If you don't have the means to be able to connect with people in person right now, then these different internet-driven tools should help you start getting connected.
Turn to Dating Apps
Perhaps this is the most obvious option for meeting new people during a pandemic, but that doesn't mean it doesn't actually work. According to one report, a major dating app conglomerate reported an 11% increase in average subscribers compared to this time last year, meaning more people than ever are using these apps and making friends. Essentially, the odds have never been more in your favor to find the perfect person on dating apps like Tinder and Hinge. So, start swiping!
Join an Online Game
As people were forced indoors in 2020, more and more of them turned to online games for entertainment. Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons took the world by storm, and even celebrities were meeting up with fans by visiting their personal spaces. Similarly, online programs like Jackbox games and Among Us allow entirely unknown groups of people to play against one another. Perhaps your next big romance can be found on one of these gaming platforms.
Outdoor Activities
Now, if you're itching to get in an extra dose of vitamin D and need to talk to someone other than your cat, these are some solutions for you.
Go Protesting
The year 2020 was certainly the year of the protest; no matter what cause you hold near and dear to your heart, getting out and showing your support can let you meet people with similar interests to you. If you're feeling a little unsure about going, try and reach out to any local organizations or groups that might be supporting the event and see if you can go with them; and, if you do happen to meet your next new love at a protest, you'll have one crazy story to tell your friends and family.
Connect With Your Neighbors
Try and name at least ten people who live around you; more than likely, you couldn't. People often get so preoccupied with what's going on outside of their homes that they forget to look around for what's happening right beside them. Quarantine is a great time to knock on some doors and introduce yourself to the neighbors you've always been meaning to meet but never got around to. What better time than being mandated to stay indoors is it to take a chance on that cute neighbor across the hall in 3B?
Go Outdoors
One of the simplest ways to meet new people in a pandemic is to go outdoors; the open air should clear the 'what day is it anyways' brain fog and will give you the chance to run into people you might otherwise never have seen before. For example, many gyms have devised outdoor workout programs for their clients, and if you don't have the space in your small studio to fit workout equipment, signing up for a socially distanced spin class will let you keep in shape and see some new faces.
Host +1 Get Togethers
If you've gotten to the place where you're beginning to feel antsy in your home, reach out to your friends and see if they'd be interested in brining one of their friends to a get-together. If the weather permits it, you can host a backyard barbeque or a rooftop soiree to catch up with your friends and chat with some new people. Also, this lets you be in control of your environment, which can be very comforting in a world that sometimes feels unsafe.
Jump Right In
Don't worry too much about if you'll find the 'one' during covid, but rather enjoy the things you can do that might let you meet someone new. However, the most important thing to remember is to just jump right in - there truly is no time like the present.
