Within the past six months, the world around us has converted into what feels like an alternate reality. The familiar conventions of everyday life that we once held so close now seem like a distant memory, and our natural social conditions have taken on a brand-new mold.
In the era of COVID-19, making and maintaining friendships meets a fresh set of barriers and uncertainty.
Navigating social life is a task that can already feel daunting and intimidating. It is a challenging process that often involves a great deal of self-awareness and decision-making. College in particular is commonly referred to as a valuable period of time for young people to learn more about themselves through new experiences and connections with others.
As many say, these are the years to “find yourself” and “find your people” — but what does this look like during a worldwide pandemic?
College students are facing a transformed social experience, struck by a newborn form of networking that carries no universal norms or preexisting social rules. The social dynamics we once leaned on are no longer in place, so we now must acclimate to an entirely alternate social terrain.
Although these changes may leave our social lives feeling bleak, pending or off-balance, they also create a platform for learning, reflection and newfound perspectives. It can feel overwhelmingly difficult to maintain optimism at a time like this, but the effects of COVID-19 on our relationships may not be all that negative. There are, in fact, some silver linings.
New social regimes lead to new social outcomes. We may find ourselves connecting with different friends in unforeseen ways, understanding more about ourselves and realizing what we personally aim to gain from valuable relationships.
College life has always felt fast-moving and full of social activity, and many of us are so used to operating quickly through the hustle and bustle. We may not normally be accustomed to thinking thoughtfully about who we spend our time with or what role we really want to serve in our loved ones’ lives. With life slowed down, we are no longer relying on parties and fixed social setups to connect with others.
With the disruption to the natural ebb and flow of social life, we are left navigating friendships on our own personal terms. Individuals now carry the responsibility to create their own set of directions around how to socialize in this current climate. We are confronted with the important tasks of looking inward and reflecting on what kinds of people we see ourselves spending time with and how we impact others.
We may find ourselves compelled to reassess which relationships genuinely matter, how our behaviors align with our beliefs and what we really want from the connections we make. Society is pushing us to nourish individual friendships, enjoy sincere one-on-one time with people and step out of our comfort zones by connecting with those we may normally have written off.
In such a difficult time, real and authentic relationships have never felt more vital.
The connections we put energy into leave a momentous impact on the depth and richness of our life experiences. The friends we surround ourselves with shape who we are, and our actions influence our circumstances more than we realize.
Although society can feel unrecognizable at times, we should utilize this odd transition period as an opportunity to be thoughtful and intentional with our relationships and ourselves.
