Dear Katie: I’m so bored and I really miss my friends
Dear Katie,
I’m so bored and I hate being stuck inside. I really miss seeing my friends and hanging out with them. Surely we could hang out together outside and keep our distance? I have such bad FOMO. What should I do?
Hannah, 15.
Dear Hannah,
I understand that it is really hard not seeing your friends, but please remember that not seeing each other is keeping you and all of your family members safe. Social distancing does not mean that you can still meet up and hang out with friends/boyfriends/girlfriends/SO’s if you keep your distance. Social distancing is in place in the case that it is an absolute necessity to leave your house and go to a public place, such as a shop or supermarket, so that you keep your distance from other customers and members of the public. Keep in mind that each time you leave your house you are putting yourself and other, more vulnerable people at risk. Older people are especially at risk so bear that in mind and the next time you think you might risk it to see a friend or get a bar of chocolate, imagine that elderly person was your own grandparent or family member.
Not seeing friends is especially hard at the minute because the weather is nice, it feels like summer break and it was a very sudden end to going from seeing them every day. Try not to feel left out or have FOMO because everyone is in the same boat and are probably just as bored as you are. Luckily, there are lots of ways to stay in contact with your friends. The app Zoom allows over 100 people to have a video call at once. It’s a brilliant way to have a big group call with all of your friends. We are also so lucky to have social media during this time so you can contact friends and family and stay in touch. Don’t forget to check in with people and make sure they’re managing okay during isolation as it’s a tough time for everyone and sometimes even a text or a phone call can make all the difference.
There are so many other ways to stay occupied during isolation, which you can check out in my other article. Using Zoom or Facetime, you can still do lots of these activities alongside your friends over video. Some other fun ideas are to challenge each other to popular TikTok dances, sharing recipes for baking some treats, and even continuing watching your favourite TV series’ over video call. Doing things over video call that you would normally do with your friends will help to return some normality and a sense of structure to the madness that is happening right now.
Although it’s hard now, just think of how great it will be when you can eventually see your friends again and you will all be safe and healthy because you didn’t put each other at risk during this difficult time.
Stay safe and stay indoors.
Love,
Katie x