EMAIL. If not, you might want to check out an app like Nextdoor that creates neighborhood-based networks. Previously, someone might take a class, join a gym, or join a civic or neighborhood group to make new friends but these are no longer possibilities. Resources Around Me — Find newcomer support services, How to take care of yourself when using substances, Questionnaire: Reflecting on feelings of anxiety. I was the very first person to move into my floor. For even more friendship info, connect with me on the following social media platforms. Is there a list of neighbor contacts in your apartment building, in your housing development or on your block? Find out when Live Chat is open in your province by clicking here, For a better mobile chatting experience, download our Always There app. Even though Pitt couldn’t give me the Saturday football games, bustling social scenes or in-person classes, it gave me something a lot better — my new family. I looked forward to my new life as a Panther — and then COVID-19 rocked our world. I remember coming home from school, taking a nap and thinking everything was going to be normal when I woke up. During COVID, High School Students Find Other Ways to Celebrate End of Senior Year . I was thinking to myself “well, this is great! I forget to reach out to people and feel like they may not want me over but I’m wrong and the second I reached out to friends- they were happy to plan a meetup. It’s crazy to think that on a random Friday in March, all of our lives were changed forever. I did tell each one of them that I want a friendship where I see them weekly or at least a few times a month. I realize how lucky I am to be able to live on campus this fall, as a lot of my high school friends are home doing school in their bedrooms. If you are fortunate enough to connect with a new person over shared interests or experiences, these friendships might not last when things get back to the new normal. I looked forward to my new life as a Panther — and then COVID-19 rocked our world. Would Life Be Sweeter In A Coronavirus Bubble? Find out more. But some of your experiences in seeking our new friends during this challenging time might serve you well in the future. Posted Aug 06, 2020 . Making friends? By the Book | ‘The Odyssey’ and Navigating Gender, The Green Space | How I Fell in Love with Nature, The Sexy Times | UTI Treatments: More than just cranberry juice, Exploring Pittsburgh’s Parks | Highland Park, The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper, © 2020 • Privacy Policy • Advertise • FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO • Log in. This makes it harder to find answers to the questions you may have about school. One of my neighbors is involved in an organization called Postcards to Voters. If so, you can initiate contact by phone or email. For many essential workers, it’s business as usual but legions of others are now working remotely from home. Through navigating this new and confusing college culture during COVID, I realized one thing — the importance of friends. Even. Am I Obliged To Give Free Services To Family And Friends. Many people are home with more free time and they might be pleased to take a trip down memory lane with an old acquaintance. Familiarize yourself with your school’s COVID-19 action plan. If not, you might want to check out an app like, that creates neighborhood-based networks. We do homework together in the library and after long days of classes and work, we watch movies in our lounge or just hang out in someone’s dorm. Even though being here during a pandemic means that we have to sacrifice some of the social aspects that come with college, we have found a way to make the best out of it. Share some of your thoughts and add a few words of encouragement to someone who may be just as interested in a human connection as you are. Making new friends scared me, as I was so used to being with my best friends from home, where it was just so easy to be myself. So I’m completely alone. Most people appreciate a head’s up text before getting a phone call. Your neighbors are in the same proverbial boat as you and you already have something in common. your school may have a calendar showing the number of hours you need to spend on each subject per week, instructions for using a tool like Google Classroom, info on how to access technology/devices, plans for virtual events like prom/graduation, etc. Regardless of their status, it’s a nice time to catch up with friends you worked with in the past, or to suggest a phone call with someone you’re currently working with during the day. Share some of your thoughts and add a few words of encouragement to someone who may be just as interested in a human connection as you are. I remember going to bed that night with a smile on my face because I was proud of putting myself out there. When will school reopen? At first, I was doubtful about coming to college during a pandemic, but I’m so grateful that I did. Published 2 July 2020 Last updated 5 November 2020 — see all updates Alicia Raimundo: How I cope with change during COVID-19, Preventing pregnancy: Info about birth control & safer sex, Preventing STIs: Info about protection & safer sex. Write to her at [email protected]. School disruptions are happening across Canada and the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. Home » MAKING FRIENDS » How To Make New Friends During The Coronavirus Pandemic. by, try to organize your day the same way it would be at school (e.g. I was ready for the Saturday tailgates and football games, the buzzing social scene on the weekends and the new friends who were coming my way. A few years ago, my friend and colleague, Laura Kelly, wrote a guest post for this site that described her experience using Nextdoor. It is super tough out there. If your child has had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, keep them home.