Things To Do With Your Friends... VIRTUALLY!
We are now into week 4 of social distancing and staying at home. In trying to make the best of the situation, we have to admit we are enjoying these slower days at home. It’s been nice to get back to the basics and to what really matters: Health, happiness & family! However, we are definitely missing our friends and family members who we do not live with. If you’re looking for ways to connect other than a quick text, here are some creative tips to stay in touch and get some valuable FaceTime (see what we did there 😉)!
Start A Virtual Book Club 📚!
Image via @trulyleesh
Have “read more” on your self-isolation to-do’s? A virtual book club is the answer to fit in that extra reading time and have some fun face-to-face time with your friends! Plus it will offer you and your book pals a little escape from the situation we’re all currently in. Here’s how to start your club:
- Find books on your favorite e-reader
- Libby is also a free app that allows you to check out e-books and audio books for free with your local library card number
- Set up a cadence to meet with your friends to discuss the book weekly, bi-weekly, or whenever! You can always break the book into chapters if it is too long to read in one week.
- Video chat with your new book club for a little social soiree (you can even chat with a glass of wine, if you choose)!
- COOLA Team book recommendations:
- Little Fires Everywhere
- Where the Crawdads Sing
- Such A Fun Age
- The Silent Patient
- You Are A Badass
- Girl, Wash Your Face
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
FaceTime Coffee Chat, Tea Time or Happy Hour!
Image via @jazminscheitel
This one's simple! Enjoy your morning coffee, afternoon tea or evening cocktail with a friend. While it’s not quite like meeting your bestie at your favorite coffee shop, it’s pretty darn close! ☕️
Invite Everyone to a Zoom Meeting!
Have a birthday, graduation, or something special to celebrate during this time? One of our team members had a friend who turned the big THREE OH during quarantine and had to cancel her big birthday weekend. While it was a big bummer, she sent out a Zoom meeting invite for all of her closest friends and they all jumped on to say “Happy Birthday” and cheers with a mimosa! She felt so special and loved, which is just what they wanted her to feel on her 30th birthday! 🎉
Walk And Talk Phone Date
Pick a time and a loved one to call while you go for a walk around the block. This is one of our favorite ways to connect, get a little sunshine and exercise in all at the same time! 🚶
Tie Dye Party
Image via @jazminscheitel
Yes, this idea is totally tubular! Order a Tie Dye Kit and plain white clothes on Amazon (or find some oldies in your closet). Set a time to FaceTime or Skype your friends and have a Tie Dye party! This is a great way to get outside, have some laughs and make that really cute tie dye sweatshirt you’ve been wanting. 😉
Wine and Paint Night
Art inspo via @tytygrove
First, make a Pinterest board with cool art inspo and invite your friends to the board. Then, place an order on Amazon for a canvas and acrylic paint (if you don’t have these already). Schedule a time to grab a glass of wine, get in your artist chair and paint away! You’ll have so much fun chatting, sipping and seeing how your friends’ artwork turns out!
Game Night!
Who doesn’t love game night? This is the perfect activity for a Friday or Saturday night! You can use an app or play some good old-fashioned games like Scattergories, Charades or Pictionary. These are also two of our favorite apps to use:
- Houseparty - Download for free on your iPhone or iPad! This app has fun games to play while you all video chat.
- Quiplash - Download this game on your Apple TV or Amazon Fire Stick for $5 and share the code with friends so you can all play!
Brunch Picnic Party
Image via @therealjessicarey
Come dressed in your Sunday best (or in your PJs), soak up that vitamin D in your backyard, make some protein pancakes, and FaceTime your friends! Cheers to the weekend! ☀️
