A Working List of Ideas for College Students (and others) to Stay Connected During COVID-19
Chances are you’ve seen articles or news stories about how COVID-19 is disrupting many people’s ability to feel connected.
Chances are that you haven’t just read about it but are also feeling the challenges that come with navigating a global pandemic.
It is important to acknowledge the loss that we are feeling during these times. This article is created with all of us in mind. We are starting a list of ways we have been – and can continue to – find opportunities for social connection during the long haul of these ongoing covid-19 times.
We are relying on you to add ideas below so we can grow the list and get outside of the box ideas!
Schedule phone calls or video calls
Remember that Zoom parties can still be a thing even though the novelty has worn off!
Scheduling weekly check-ins with friends and family is important! Spice up the zoom party with some games such as Pictionary, Charades, or create your own friend group trivia!
There are plenty more virtual games from Apps like Jackbox and websites like Skribbl.io to play virtually with friend and family!
Use zoom time for a safe space to discuss the roses (positives) and thorns (negatives) of your week or create a space of accountability with your self-care.
If you are finding you are spending more time playing video games, grab a microphone and turn your multi-player games into hangouts!
Schedule weekly or monthly video calls with friends to spend time with your hobbies
Find existing virtual spaces/clubs or create your own club to exercise your interests and hobbies
- Learning to knit or garden?
- Watching a lot of movies and want to analyze them with others?
- Want to share recipes?
- Create art and share it with others virtually!
- Write poems, draw, paint, sculpt!
There is a group out there for you and if not, you can start your own!
Find safe and socially distanced opportunities to be outside.
Consider hikes, trails, outdoor group fitness classes.
Is your college quad a no go for now? Create your own “quad” in your neighborhood with friends where you can meet up and safely talk about your lives.
Turn that “quad” or any outdoor space into a socially distanced, masked up, outdoor study group!
Support a local favorite restaurant. Grab some takeout during your study session to give back to your community, get some work done, and hang out.
Remember playing “night games” with your neighbors when you were younger?! Like ghost in the graveyard. Channel that energy into creating an outdoor scavenger hunt. Get outside, get your body moving, and test your brain with some fun puns on where to find each object.
Get connected with your neighborhood via virtually volunteering or safe local projects.
Feeling connected to the world and greater community by doing the work to improve a cause you are passionate about will serve you just as well as social connection,
During COVID-19, a common experience is the feeling of being stuck and not knowing what the future holds. Think about what you can do to directly impact your community and start taking action little by little.
Increase connection to yourself and your relationships in your immediate physical space by taking intentional breaks from your phone, computer, and social media.
You might miss opportunities for social connection that’s right under your nose if you are on auto-pilot. Bring intention to interacting with those around you.
And if you do find yourself on the computer, find real-time events or engagements that can help thwart off the endless passive abyss that is scrolling through a feed.
Looking for a more confidential space? Look into different therapies or support groups to help you through pandemic or non-pandemic related challenges.
These are just a few of the many creative ways we can stay connected. Please comment below to add what you have been doing to help grow social connection during covid!
Join Our Online College Support Venting Group to Get Connected to Other College Students during Covid-19
We would love for you to join our online college support group to meet other students in similar situations. Check out more information on this group here and/or follow these steps to get started!
- Email us and Please include
- Your cohort year (ie freshmen, sophomore, junior, or senior)
- Your availability in the next two weeks for a 15-minute phone consultation with therapist Lizzy Kosin.
- Complete your registration paperwork.
- Login to our online therapy portal and connect with your peers to vent about college life in the times of COVID.
About The Author
Lizzy Kosin, LCSW-C is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Therapist at Montgomery County Counseling Center in Rockville, MD. She earned her AM degree (equivalent to an MSW) from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. Her training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
Lizzy takes a casual approach to therapy. Because of this, she works very well with kids & teens. She also works with adults who want the benefits of therapy without feeling stuffy or over-medicalized. She values the importance of the mind-body connection and using experiential activities to keep the fun in building insight and motivating towards progress. Lizzy is licensed in both Maryland and Washington DC.
