When I say that social distancing is difficult, I speak from experience.
As soon as I heard that I would remain confined to my apartment for an undetermined period of time, I felt anxious and isolated.
However, the fact that even when I'm physically distancing myself, I'm not alone has comforted me. The fact is that even during this time, none of us is alone. Actually, thanks to modern technology, there are so many ways that we can still connect with our families and friends.
With the newfound courage this pandemic has given me, I'm actively reconnecting with friends I lost through the years. I’ve always wondered what those good friends from high school are up to now, but I worried that too a long time passed since I lost touch together, and they won't respond. Since we're all stuck at home, though, I worked up the courage to finally reach out.
Obviously, some of these former friends never returned my texts. For each ignored text, though, I've received just as many gleeful greetings from old friends as well as reconnected with former friends through video. Although contacting my former friends mandates that I overcome my social anxiety, I love the clarity it provides.
Reaching out to others washes away years of questions and regret.
I understand that we all grow apart from our childhood friends once we enter adulthood, and that's OK. However, I additionally love hearing about my friends' successes and researching their current lives. A number of my friends have even agreed to reconnect with me in person once this pandemic ends, and I can't wait to see them!
Through this virtual reconnection, I've also learned simply how much I still have in common with a lot of my high school friends.
I found that one friend lives just a few blocks away from me. I even found out that my former best friend works for the same company, just in a different department. Although It's surprising that I let these friends slip away, I love that after all these years, we can pick up right where we left off without even skipping a beat.
My childhood returns to life as I reconnect using the people who made my most childhood better. I find myself laughing using the girls who I once imagined being my bridesmaids. I play game titles with the guys who made me an “honorary bro.” We've made the long times of quarantine and social distancing fly by through reminiscing. In fact, I truly believe that my friends and that i have rebuilt bonds that will now last for life.
Putting yourself too much there can feel terrifying anytime, so why not reach out when we're already facing widespread panic? The COViD-19 pandemic is among the scariest, most stressful situations most of us will ever know in our lifetimes. However, we all get up every day and take on whatever comes our way with strength and hope. I really believe that we are stronger together, so now is the perfect time to strengthen bonds with old friends and to support each other through this crisis.
