Quarantining, sheltering in place, staying home. We’re tired of hearing it; we’re tired of doing it. Yet, it’s what we still need to be doing to stay safe for a while longer. All of this can be lonesome. As the days turn into weeks and weeks into months, the alone time is getting to even the most introverted among us.
Solitary confinement is considered one of the most psychologically damaging punishments a human can endure. The New Yorker reported on this in a 1992 study of prisoners in detention camps in the former Yugoslavia, as well as Vietnam veterans who experienced isolation. These studies showed that prisoners who had experienced solitary confinement demonstrated similar brain activity to those who’d suffered a severe head injury, noting that “Without sustained social interaction, the human brain may become as impaired as one that has incurred a traumatic injury.”
We aren’t meant to be solitary creatures. Your “pandemic brain” is real. That fogginess, the lack of productivity, can be attributed to many things, including anxiety, but being kept apart from other humans is a big part of it too. Be kind to yourself, give yourself grace, and join others virtually. Be it an app, a class, a Facebook group, a chat room, or a livestream, someone somewhere is out there waiting to connect with you too.
The good news? We are lucky enough to live in an era of near limitless ways to interact socially online. Sure, it is different, but it is something. It’s important. The best thing about this type of social interaction is being able to hone in on your specific interests, though I’d caution you against getting caught in an online echo chamber. Diversity of interests, personality, and opinion make for a richer experience, with opportunities for connecting and expanding your worldview.
Here are a few suggestions on ways to socialize while staying home and staying safe. Communicating with other humans is good for you, physically and mentally.
Interactive Livestreams on Twitch:
Twitch is best known as a streaming service for video game fans, but it offers multiple streams appealing to different interests. This is more than passive watching (although that is an option, too) as Twitch livestream channels also have chat rooms. Twitch is fun for people who like multi-tasking because the chat rooms for popular livestream channels can get busy with chatter.
While people watch the Twitch hosts play a video game, film a live podcast, make music or art, mix cocktails, or dance, they can comment on what they’re watching, make suggestions, ask questions, crack jokes, and get to know each other (by Twitch handle, so it is still as anonymous as you want it to be) in the chat room. The best hosts take time every so often to interact directly with the chat room questions and comments.
Many Twitch channels develop loyal followers who get to know each other, thus forming communities. I have participated in the Alamo Drafthouse Master Pancake movie mocks a few times because they are fun and local to Austin, where I live. Plus, in my non-quarantine life, I would go to Master Pancake shows live sometimes. The chat room feels familiar in a nice way. While watching online is free, you can (and totally should) tip them.
Online trivia in real time:
There are some good options for real-time online trivia, but I’m impressed with the NYC Trivia League’s model. They have trivia games online on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The NYC Trivia League seems to have figured out a good way to run the game live while keeping answers private from the other teams. They run games on Instagram Live with a live video of the host, and participants answer via the question feature. Clever!
Online book club:
First I have to shout out my Austin local independent bookstore, BookPeople, because they are fantastic. They run book clubs throughout the year, along with readings, book signings, and all things book-related. BookPeople hosts several online book clubs during these lockdown days, and most people will find something that appeals to them.
I’m also impressed with this list from Hugo House, a writer’s resource based out of Seattle. This list includes Instagram and Goodread book clubs, book clubs for Black women, rebels, and poetry lovers. The Financial Diet recommends the Reddit book club, if you are comfortable with the Reddit format. Please note that it’s a busy place, but if you like Reddit, you already know this.
Cooking class or virtual tasting:
This is doubly satisfying because you can follow these chefs in real time, and you end up with a meal. There are a couple on Instagram Live, such as The Culinistas or Chef Massimo Bottura.
You can also participate in virtual tastings for wine, whiskey, or chocolate, though you will have to buy the product to participate in the classes (usually held over Zoom or Facebook Live). If you are in Austin, Dallas, or Houston, I recommend BeenThere Locals. The cost of the course includes the wine, spirits, or cooking kit in most cases, and all of the money goes to the business and expert hosting the class.
Look for your favorite wine, spirits, cheese, chocolate makers, and chefs that are local to you to find a similar experience. Most either prepare the class kit for pickup or delivery within a local area.
Quarantine chat:
To interact with another quarantined person seeking social interaction, there’s Quarantine Chat. Quarantine chat is one of the ways to connect through the Dialup app, available on iOS and Android devices. Sign up to make and receive calls when you want to speak with someone. The Dialup app pairs you randomly with another person for a phone conversation, at a scheduled time, either with anyone or with someone with shared interests.
Quarantine chat takes it a step further with calls at random times. When your quarantine chat caller calls, you will not see their number (or they yours), only the “Quarantine Chat” caller ID. If you are unable to pick up when they call, they will be connected with someone else, so there is no pressure to answer. It’s nice to hear someone else’s voice, merely to talk about what you’ve been cooking or what hilarious thing your pet is doing.
Play Uno:
Uno Freak lets people set up games and play Uno online with friends or strangers. Players do not need to register or download anything to play. Uno Freak is web-based.
Talk to mental health professionals:
If your state of loneliness starts sliding toward depression, call someone you can speak to right away to talk over your concerns. When in doubt, call a trained professional! Here are a few resources:
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): The NAMI HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 am–6 pm, ET, 800-950-NAMI (6264) or info@nami.org.
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to this text line 24/7 for someone to text with who will also be able to refer you to other resources: U.S. and Canada: 74174, U.K. 85258, Ireland: 50808.
- Psych Central has put together this comprehensive list of crisis intervention specialists and ways to contact them immediately.
There are many ways to connect even though we are physically apart. These are just a few real time ways to interact with others online. If you want something a little more flesh and blood, take a walk around the block or even sit in a chair in front of where you live.
Wave at people from afar, and remember that we have lots of brilliant doctors and scientists working on a way out of this. Hang in there, buddy. I’m rooting for you. I’m rooting for all of us.
Benn Rosales
February 3, 2012 at 11:02 am
Hi Matt, love the piece. I wonder though if our thinking is wrong from the outset? Why do we consider anyone who isn't branded a realtor outside of the industry? Aren't the radicalized thinkers that innovate part of the industry? It seems to me we draw this line between them and us rather than just bringing them into the fold and working with them.
In the case of aggregation, truth be told, they are running data for free and have been for some time. Every business needs to make their own business decision on whether they'll syndicate for free or not. In that same spirit, the industry itself isn't one voice or one unit, it's each and every company that must innovate to remain competitive in their space, not the industry as a whole. In fact, the further away NAR and other orgs remain out of our businesses the better – we're already overly regulated.
Perspective is sorely needed I think.
Bill Petrey - real estate agent
February 3, 2012 at 11:19 am
MLS Data is all the National Association of Realtors have left of any value. If I could get full access without being a Realtor I'd drop my membership in a heartbeat. I suspect others would too. NAR probably knows this and is devoting its resources to protect it rather than being innovative. Of course they could be still working on the ethical thing. Can't believe they spent all that money on the theme of "we won't screw you."
Maybe innovation from NAR is too much to expect.
Matt Fuller
February 3, 2012 at 3:54 pm
Benn – I agree with you that it shouldn't be "us or them." Unfortunately, though, the industry policies and regulations are structured so that if you aren't on the "inside" it is exceptionally challenging to get access to the data you need to build a useful product. I'd love to see associations make it easy for others to partner with them on cool projects. I'd also love to see associations standardize their data models and regulations so that innovation happens at a faster pace and startups have access to bigger markets for their products without having to tweak their product for hundreds of associations.
Matt Fuller
February 3, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Bill – In addition to the data, I think Realtors themselves are the value in the era of information overload. It's unfortunate that we look like data hoarders. We have even more value once we set the information free, IMHO.
Abe Rashdyi
February 4, 2012 at 12:33 pm
One example of the lack of leadership is we as realtors are required by law to change listing status from active to pending or sold within 24 to 48 hours maximum, while a large number of advertized listings on Zillow and Trulia are pending or sold. This gives Zillow and Trulia a huge advantage; they can offer listings that buyers want. This is the fundamental premise on which Turlia and Zillow built their success.
Miss information? You be the judge.
Is it going to weaken consumer confidence in our industry? Think about it.
Should industry leaders require outsiders to live by the same rules as realtors? It is up to us.
Greg Cook
February 4, 2012 at 5:17 pm
BRAVO MATT!
We need to look no further than KODAK to see what happens when a business is unable or unwilling to reinvent itself.
IMHO consumers want more than listing information, much more. They need to know HOW or HOW NOT to buy, WHERE or WHERE NOT to buy, WHY or WHY NOT to buy.
Here's an interesting stat that I feel sums it up: "Less than 10% of Agents do it, but those that do get 88% more leads. Answer? Blogging!