How to readjust to an in-person social life

To ease back into in-person interaction, start by hanging out with a friend outdoors. ARTIST: EMILY ZAKOOR

ELENI KOPSAFTIS

Zoom hangouts, masked meetings, and social distancing. These have been the norm for work, school, and socialization since the pandemic began. While we’ve each experienced our own unique challenges due to COVID-19, it can be hard to imagine going back to the world we had before all of this started. For many of us, whatever adjustments we’ve made to our social lives were fueled by COVID-induced anxiety and public health guidelines. So, transitioning out of some of the practices that brought us a sense of duty and security over the past year can seem daunting. However, if you are capable of adapting to the pandemic’s restrictions, you’re also capable of adapting to in-person interaction again. To help you ease back into it, here are a few tips you can practice during the upcoming school year.

CONTINUE FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDELINES

Above all, the safety of in-person gatherings depends on COVID-19 public health measures. The Ontario government is currently enforcing restrictions based on Step 3 of its Roadmap to Reopen plan. As such, vaccination, masking, and social distancing is still crucial to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. Once you begin to explore in-person socialization, be sure to stay up to date with your local health and safety measures so as to protect yourself and others. Additionally, make sure not to pressure friends and family to socialize in-person with you if they aren’t comfortable doing so yet. Even if health measures allow it, everyone needs to go at their own pace as they readjust to hanging out together again. Stay updated on local health and safety measures through the WDG Public Health website and the Ontario government website.

TAKE IT SLOW

Understand that while you’re capable of adjusting to the in-person social world, there is no need for you to jump back into it all at once. Pay attention to what your mind and body are telling you, and don’t force yourself into situations you’re not ready for. Instead, take small steps towards a bigger goal. For example, if you’d like to get comfortable spending time with a group of friends but aren’t ready, start with just one of those friends. As you adjust to that, slowly work your way up to two friends, then three, and so forth. Eventually, you’ll find yourself where you wanted to be in the first place, except you won’t be as anxious. In addition to taking it slow, take some time to think about what it is you want out of in-person socialization. Once you’ve done that, write out your thoughts, including your social wants and needs. For example, Vox suggests considering the following: What makes you happy? What activities do you want to get back into or continue doing? What is meaningful to you and what isn’t? What boundaries do you want to set between yourself and friends, family, roommates, and co-workers? Is there a middle ground you’re willing to try? Once you’ve figured out the answers to these questions, you’ll be able to take actions that specifically fulfill your needs. On top of that, you’ll be able to voice boundaries to those you interact with.

REACH OUT TO OTHERS AND OFFER YOUR SUPPORT

By offering a helping hand to others, you may very well end up helping yourself in the process.

According to Greater Good magazine, volunteering to help others or finding a way to connect with someone to show support directs your focus away from abstract problems and toward solid, solvable ones. So while the scale of reopening may be intimidating or unsettling, helping someone else ease into the post-pandemic world through small gestures can make you feel confident enough to face your own worries. Helping others can be as simple as having an honest, open conversation with them. To begin with, try talking to someone you’re comfortable with and simply asking them how they are doing. You might find that they are feeling the same way you do. If you’re feeling up to it, do this with a set amount of people once per day to spark ongoing conversations. COVID-19 has impacted us all in one way or another, so you’ll likely find either a show of solidarity or someone to lend a listening ear to.

WHEN YOU’RE READY, SEEK OUT GROUPS AND CLUBS

Once you’ve gotten the hang of socializing with friends and family again, you can begin to reach out to new people once it is safe to do so and you feel more comfortable. To reintegrate into the social sphere, reach out to new friend groups and clubs or organizations that interest you. Guelph is constantly brimming with new opportunities. At the university, students have access to over 250 clubs ranging from sports and sciences, to arts and humanities. To participate in local activities while simultaneously meeting like-minded people, check out GryphLife’s lineup of student organizations. Similarly, organizations outside of campus have lots of opportunities for connecting with the community. You can gather with friends to donate to the Guelph food bank, find a crafter’s group or book club, or attend weekly Zumba classes. Canpages.ca is a directory for Canadian organizations, and you can use it to find local groups you’d be interested in dedicating your time to.

CONSULT MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

If you continue to struggle or have any inquiries on how to adapt to in-person interactions, consider consulting some local resources. At the University of Guelph, you can contact U of G Counselling Services at 519-824-4120 extension 53244 or attend supportive programs with U of G Mental Well-Being. Additional resources include the Good2Talk helpline at 1-866-925-5454 and Here 24/7 at 1-844-437-3247. For off-campus resources, walk-in counselling services are available at Family Counselling and Support Services. If you’re not ready to step into in-person meetings, Big White Wall Canada offers online mental health and wellbeing services.