by Sophia Chen ‘22, Feature Writer

Being confined in our homes can feel frustrating and tiresome, barred from normal activities like working out at the gym or grabbing a bite at our favorite restaurant with our friends. Thankfully, technology is here to help us maintain social connection, replacing social distancing with an easier-to-handle physical distancing. Not only can we still see our friends in class everyday over Zoom, social media platforms and new websites and apps give us easier access to information online and help us stay connected as a community. Although we are still physically separated from each other, technology makes it much easier to cope with the distance.

The odd thing about being in quarantine is that a friend living five hours away starts to feel just as close to a friend living five minutes away. Facetiming apps allow us to connect with friends and families without having to go anywhere. Emma Lu ‘22 said, “I especially miss having random conversations with my friends during lunch, between classes, and after school. However, it’s comforting that my friends are just a wave away on houseparty.” Houseparty is a popular facetiming app that sends a notification to your friends when you are in the “house” or online. Friends can pop in to your facetime or you can invite friends by “waving” to them. Gen Z has also demonstrated its creativity by devising new ways to stay connected. An application called Netflix Party brings movie night online by allowing you to watch a movie or show on Netflix from different devices, while simultaneously chatting with your friends. Websites like playingcards.io have created online versions of classic board games so you can still have virtual game night. On social platforms, lifestyle bloggers share workout tips and pictures from scenic runs that will motivate you to go outside for a breadth of fresh air. For Ivy Xie ‘22, “One of my favorite ways to unwind after a day of Zoom learning is by facetiming a friend and doing a Chloe Ting workout together.” In the past few weeks, workout videos made by youtubers like Chloe Ting and Alexis Ren have been gaining millions of views. Caught up with viral two week “shred” challenges circulating the internet, Gen Z has been staying fit during quarantine, arguably even exercising more than before. Cooking aficionados and amateur home-bakers alike share recipes for anything you can imagine, from chocolate mug cakes to decadent milkshakes. “During quarantine, I can’t get my weekly cup of cold brew from Starbucks and so I’ve been experimenting with different ways to get my caffeine fix at home. I learned how to make Dalgona coffee, by just whisking together sugar and instant coffee” explained Melanie Kramarchuk ‘22. Dalgona coffee is just one of the trending at-home recipes trending on social media platforms such as Tik Tok. Stuck at home, teenagers and adults around the nation have been experimenting in the kitchen, eager to share their results for a little fame.

Most importantly, social media has allowed us to come together as a community during this quarantine. People offer words of kindness, share encouraging stories, and start fundraisers to help those affected by the pandemic, including healthcare workers risking their lives on the frontlines. We see celebrities taking a break from magazine covers and red carpets by posting pictures of themselves in quarantine that we can all relate to. Alongside the jokes and complaints on social media, many people share tips on how to stay safe. Before quarantine, Tik Tok, a beloved social media platform amongst teenagers, featured dance videos and comedy skits. Now there are also tutorials on how to make your own face masks, sanitize takeout food, and whip up a fresh cup of Dalgona coffee with only sugar, instant coffee, and hot water. There is a growing sense of recognition amongst social media users of the importance of being in quarantine. Social media provides a community where we can stay connected with the rest of the world and stay strong through this difficult time together.