The current blogpost will be discussing how you can make friends during COVID. We will also be describing the advantages of making friends or friendships in general during a global pandemic, especially during the after-effects.

How to make friends during COVID?

To make friends during COVD, you can use the following methods,

Reach out to your coworkers/classmates

Even if COVID lockdowns and restrictions have been lifted almost everywhere, it can still seem pretty scary to step back into a normal social life. If you are trying to make friends during this still on-going pandemic, the easiest way to do so is through your co-workers.

If you are working in an organization, you can simply turn your coworkers into your friends if you find that you click with them. Even if you are working remotely you can still reach out and ask if they are okay to meet in person.

If you are a student, you can also start hanging out with your classmates more. Your college campus and cafeteria is especially a great place to observe cliques and groups and see where you can fit in better.

Talk to your extended family

We often think of family only in terms of blood-relations. But many times, we can find gems in the form of friends among our extended family. Reach out to that long-lost cousin or go to that family reunion and you might come back with a friend or two.

Reconnect with old friends

There are many friends we might have gotten close to during the period of our lives but then lost contact with. Reconnecting with old friends can bring you closer together with them and also make the process more comfortable for you since you already know them.

Take a class

You can also meet great people when you take a class, even if it is just an online one. The best thing about making friends in a class setting is that you meet people who share the same interests as you.

Check out online forums

If you want to stick to online platforms in the event of COVID, you can try online forums. Online forums are great since you are exposed to many people from different cultures. If you are introverted, online forums can be the perfect option for you to make new friends.

Check out dating sites

Dating sites and apps like Tinder are not only finding the love of your life. These apps can also be used to find friends, particularly from the gender of your choice. The great advantage of using dating apps and sites is that you can enjoy safety and interaction from a comfortable distance.

Start talking to locals

Many times we often focus on making friends from other places but often forget those from our own neighborhoods. Start talking to friendly-faces who might visit your local supermarket, dog park or local library.

Join a religious organization

If you are a believer of any particular religion, going to your religious place of worship can also be great for making friends. The great thing about religious organizations is that people here are naturally friendly and can even be helpful if you are ever in a sticky situation.

Become a volunteer

If you want to find like-minded people who actually care about others and their well-being, you can even become a volunteer. Volunteer organizations are filled with people who are known for giving and joining these can be great for meeting new people and making friends.

Benefits of friendship during COVID

While friendship is necessary in any phase of life, it becomes even more important in the events of a global pandemic, like COVID. Some of the great benefits of friendship during the after-effects of COVID have been shared in the following section.

You can find your own people. You certainly can’t choose your family but can definitely choose your friends. The best thing about friendships during a pandemic is that you can call these people your tribe, your own family with whom you get through life.

Friendship is great for your mental health. Not many people realize this, but this is very true. Having a close friend or two whom you can lean on can greatly boost your mental health and can even help you through difficult times like divorces, life traumas, etc.

It can improve your self-esteem. Friends are a big part of your identity, which in turn can improve your self-esteem. Having great self-esteem can also be great for your self-confidence, your personality development and your overall mental health.

Friends can be great for exploring. If you are stuck at home for long periods of time and want to go explore new places, grab a friend. Friends are not only great for hanging out in comfort spots, but also great for exploring new places and countries.

It can be great for your career. Forget LinkedIn and other professional networking sites if you are hunting for a new job and instead pass out your resumes to your near and dear. Friends can be great sources of new job info and can also persuade you to try new things.

Friends can connect you to resources. During the lockdowns, many people realized the importance of their friends when they ran out of resources like food and medicine. Your friends are your tribe and members of a tribe take care of each other.

Your friend-circle can keep you grounded. Not only are they important for your success, but also very important for keeping you grounded no matter how high you go up the corporate ladder. True friends also call you out for your harmful behaviors.

Many celebrities have publicly discussed that it is their friends who have kept them humble despite their fame and power. Learning to be accountable to your friends also makes you a better person to the society outside.

Friends can be positive for your physical health. Not just your mental health, but even your physical health can improve as a result of your friends. This is especially true if your friend has picked up a healthy habit and you are motivated to follow.

Friendships can invoke change. If you are trying to change for the better and improve yourself, friends are superb motivators. When you are struggling with an addiction or a negative behavior, your friends may not be therapists, but can provide social support.

This is the reason that psychological interventions often call for the emotional support of the person’s friends. Friends can point out when you need help, but they can even support you throughout your journey.

True friends teach you more about life. Your perspectives are not only improved by reading newspapers and scrolling through Reddit, but even by talking to your friends. This is definitely one of the best things about making new friends.

The advantage of learning about new perspectives is that you have the comfort zone to discuss things openly without the fear of judgment or abandonment. Learning things from your friends also means that you have more value from the lessons since these are people you care about.

It allows you to be altruistic. Many philosophers argue that altruism is the true meaning of humanity. Being a part of a friend-circle allows you many opportunities to give and help others grow and genuinely be altruistic.

Conclusion

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.570839/full

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/friendships/art-20044860#

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-friendship

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/psychological-benefits-of-friendship

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/more-and-more-research-shows-friends-are-good-for-your-health/2016/05/26/f249e754-204d-11e6-9e7f-57890b612299_story.html

https://hbr.org/2020/09/3-ways-to-make-friends-remotely

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/23/at-home/find-and-keep-new-friends.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9149295/

Feeling alone? Here’s how to make friends in a pandemic

https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/four-ways-support-friend-or-loved-one-long-covid

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/25/health/social-connection-gallup-meta-survey-wellness/index.html