Opinion: Social distance doesn’t have to mean a disconnect

By Claire Convis
Deputy Editor 

Between self-quarantines and the “Stay Home, Stay Safe, Save Lives” order in Michigan, things might start to feel a bit lonely for students who are used to working jobs, going to classes and seeing their friends.

It can seem like isolation is taking over your everyday life, but it is important to remember that this situation we’re in isn’t going to last forever, and the best way for us to shorten the lifespan of COVID-19 is, in fact, to stay home. However, there are a variety of ways to stay connected with friends and family during this time.

One way to stay connected is to have a virtual study session with a friend or a classmate. My friend and I did a Snapchat video call yesterday, checked in with each other to see how we’re each holding up. Then, she said, “Hey, I gotta watch some videos for class so I’m gonna mute myself,” and I said, “Oh yeah, me too.” We both just sat there and worked in silence, drinking our own coffees.

This virtual study session brought a sense of normalcy. Even though we weren’t physically with one another, it felt like a study date at a coffee shop. It was nice to have someone studying alongside me on the other side of the screen. Also, many students need that extra motivation of studying with other people present, as opposed to just working alone.

I have called, texted and FaceTimed my classmates consistently as we support each other and offer advice for our newly online classes. It can be a struggle to adjust to these new alternative learning methods, but keeping in touch with your classmates can assist you in working together to figure out how to succeed online together.

And don’t forget to call, Snapchat, DM, or text your loved ones for some support outside of school. Pick a TV show to watch with a friend over the free Google Chrome extension Netflix Party, or choose a book to read and have your own little book club over Facetime.

It might seem old-fashioned, but try writing letters to the people that you miss. Everyone loves to get some snail-mail that’s not an electrical bill or an ad for a hardware store; I wrote some short messages on postcards last week and sent them out to friends and family in quarantine.

Devin Streur, a counselor at WCC, suggested maintaining healthy boundaries when it comes to how much time a student spends on social media.

“Social media… can be nice to stay connected to people but tends to make us feel worse about situations,” said Streur. “Certainly, when there’s nothing but doom and gloom [on social media] that can be especially difficult.”

While scrolling for hours might leave you feeling down, social media can provide “a lot of different ways you can see somebody and not physically be next to them,” said Streur, which is perfect for the Stay Home, Stay Safe mandate.

Streur mentioned GoToMeeting, Zoom, FaceTime and other virtual avenues that can assist students in staying connected.

The WCC Counseling Center is still open to phone calls, and there are virtual counseling sessions available to students. Students can also access the free online hotline CAP on WCC’s website.

“If [students] feel like they’re a little bit too isolated and depressed, and not feeling like themselves, CAP is a wonderful resource that students should be looking to access during this challenging time,” said Streur.

Remember, we’re all in this mess together, and we can help manage the mess by staying home. You might be bored out of your mind, but there are ways to stay occupied and stay connected with others while you help flatten the curve.

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