Social Distancing ≠ Not Socializing: The Importance of Friendship During COVID-19

Riding our bikes down 75th street to Sheridan’s, we did our best to stay six feet away from any oncoming pedestrians. We couldn’t help but feel grateful that we had each other to rely on for spontaneous bike rides and frozen custard during these uncertain times.

This was only the second time we’d seen each other in person since social distancing began — but it didn’t feel like it. Between FaceTiming for several hours three times a week and texting nonstop about anything and everything, we were never really apart.

In times where social contact is about as rare as finding a fully stocked toilet paper shelf at Target, having a friend to confide in should be essential. Take it from us, we’ve been friends for six years and counting.

From celebrating your newly completed 2,000 piece puzzle to ranting about how your parents refuse to let you leave the house without looking like you’re about to perform a surgery, a friend is there for it all.

Having a friend to escape from the not-entirely-welcome, constant “family bonding time” keeps you from taking out your frustration on your siblings. Not to mention, there are just some things that your mother doesn’t need to know — like how cute the boy who just added you on Snap is.

Now that you can’t share the latest gossip with your friends at lunch or mouth words to each other from across the room in Spanish, it’s even more important to stay in touch with your close friends. While it might take a little extra effort to do so, maintaining these relationships is crucial to maintaining good mental health.

With the unstructured, endless, weekend-like days, staying out of a funk is getting more difficult. Having someone to keep you grounded — who doesn’t live in the same house as you — stops you from spiraling out of control. Even though 2020 seems like the strangest time of our lives, keeping your friends close helps reaffirm a sense of normalcy at a time when it’s desperately needed.

And sure, the circumstances are tough, but at least we’re in the 21st century and don’t have to handwrite a letter to our friends every time something important happens. Plus, the nonstop texting and weekly FaceTimes are good practice for keeping in touch when we all inevitably move away to college.

We may not physically be together, but now’s our time to be closer than ever. Besides, if your friendship can withstand a deadly global pandemic you guys can handle pretty much anything.