Virtually Connected With Our Loved Ones

by Sofia Sambrano

It has been five months since community quarantine was implemented in the Philippines, and honestly, it is no fun at all. With the constant changes between ECQ, to MECQ, to GCQ, every person just wants it all to end to be with their loved ones again. However, with the risk of infection at an all-time high, no one should compromise their health just for a few moments of fun.

Being stuck inside our homes can be draining, which is why it is a must to maximize the use of the internet and different applications to connect with our friends and families. It may not be the same as being with them physically, but in a way, it relieves our longing for their much-needed company.

Listed below are some applications that one may opt to use to stay virtually connected with your loved ones:

Discord

Discord is one of the easiest communication applications to use. In Discord, users can text, call, and even video chat with friends. There is also an option where users can create different topic-based channels which can facilitate collaboration to better improve and organize communication between various groups of people. Aside from this, the key highlight of Discord is the thousands of bots that users can utilize. The bots’ services vary from listening to music together to sharing memes with one another, and so much more.

Scener and Netflix Party

Both Scener and Netflix Party are the perfect applications to use for movie nights. These applications are Google extensions that users can download for free, and allow them to synchronize the viewing experience of all viewers in the same virtual movie theater. Both platforms allow users to be able to watch a variety of shows and movies and react in real-time. The only difference between the two is that in Scener, you may opt to video call with friends, while in Netflix Party, you can only chat with them. The great thing about Scener is that it is not only limited to Netflix, but it also extends to other streaming platforms like Disney+, Vimeo, and YouTube.

Rave

For those who do not own laptops but still wish to watch with friends, Rave is a free application for both iOS and Android users. Rave is similar to Scener and Netflix Party, where watching videos, movies, and listening to music can be done synchronously. With Rave, you can even have a perfect karaoke night with your friends.

Covidopoly

Covidopoly is a free online multiplayer board game that resembles Monopoly. The same rules of Monopoly apply to this online game, but the rules are altered to follow the aesthetic of Covidopoly. This game is definitely a perfect activity to play during game night.

These are just a few of the many applications out there. No one expected to spend 2020 confined in our homes and not be with our friends and families. The only thing we can continue to do is to anticipate the day when everything would be all right. Until then, continue to stay virtually connected.