Anyone else socialising more now than normal??!!

[katew355]

Since we've not been able to out, I feel like I'm in more contact with my friends and family more than ever (over zoom etc). We have something booked in pretty much every night and I'm drinking way more wine than I normally do. I guess it's the silver lining to a fairly dark cloud. Anyone else?

No, but Ive never been one for socialising and Im now missing the little I used to do!

Yes way too much wine but definitely more proper contact with friends and family via FaceTime, Houseparty and Zoom. Especially with daughter and grandchildren, usually twice a day now.

In some ways no, but I am now in a group chat for a long running MN thread which is really lovely.

I’m texting older relatives/friends a bit more too.

I’ve also had many many more emails/texts back and forth with a couple of people working with our family, which has been a lovely surprise, especially one who I didn’t really know that well.

I certainly miss the face to face socialising, swimming etc but I don’t feel lonely at all thanks to the above. :)

Was saying to DD1 the other day just how grateful I am that this has happened in the age of messenger, WhatsApp etc and how much more communication and entertainment we have at our disposal than we would have even ten years ago.

Yes, and I can do it in my PJs and be in bed for 10pm. It's perfect for me!

Yes - but for us it’s because we used to live abroad and our closest friends all live in a different time zone. We keep in regular contact with them normally, but it’s usually by text (often overnight - I will wake to texts and then reply. My responses will come in 8 hours later when my friends get up and so it goes on.) and the occasional FaceTime. Now that our kids aren’t in school and we are all working from home, it is much easier for us to stay in touch. We are FaceTiming loads and also having zoom catch ups with groups of friends rather than just individuals.

On the other hand, nothing has really changed with local friends.

Yes.

Had much more time for friends in the last week.

That's really fucking depressing how much work had taken over

I think I am the only person getting really fed up with requests to Zoom, it's hard to think of excuses not to join in.

Yes and it's doing my head in! I'm still going out to work full time but most friends and family are home all day and want to group chat or play games in the evenings on various apps... I want to be left alone to chill out. Baa humbug I know but just leave me alone!!

Yes & it’s both good & bad 😩🤣

I know what you mean- there are good and bad bits to it! I'm a key worker so still working three days a week so when everyone else wants to do online quizzes, get together a etc I'm usually knocked. I'm not complaining though as I'm so lucky to have these people in my life x

Nope. Not a single person has initiated contact with me! I have messaged a few people and they have replied, but that's it.

I'm doing exactly the same amount of socialising as I did before the lockdown.

I'm speaking on the phone with family more. I'm not on Facebook and don't have WhatsApp or Zoom or Skype. The only thing that's changed for me is that I'm WFH Monday to Friday. I don't have any friends so don't really socialise anyway.

I am. I used to only regularly check in with 2 friends, since lockdown began there have been 5 I've spoken to/messaged most days. Calling my brother more too!

@LaneBoy I absolutely agree

I was at my best (lol) in the 80s and should this have happened then it would all have been far more difficult and expensive (landlines only then).
I suppose we would have
Watched TV (all 3 channels till Channel 4 turned up)
Listened to the radio (and record the Top 40 on Sunday nights)
Read books and magazines
Sometimes rung friends and other family
Played board games

I prefer what we have NOW though.

Yes! Wasn't chatting with people apart from WhatsApp before this. In the past 2 weeks I've had at least 8 video calls with different friends/family. The difference being, they can't go out and socialise anymore, whereas DH and I are fairly new to this area and weren't going out anyway!

Yes! Actually using my phone for video and voice calls rather than only texting, and I say hello to every single dog walker I pass now when out with my dog!