Summer fun this year looks, understandably, a bit different than usual. In the past, Jake and I would be traveling literally every weekend of the summer. I would honestly be so booked, I wouldn’t even know how to fit in a coffee with a friend. As someone who likes to keep busy, there were moments this was stressful, but truthfully the majority of the time I really enjoyed the constant go-go-go mentality of the summer months. It’s a different type of busy than the school year – most of it involves trips and seeing friends who live further away more frequently.
Since March, everything has been turned upside down – for everyone. I know a lot of people who are comfortable with going shopping and going out to eat – I’m, truthfully, not really there yet. I’ve stuck with take out and online delivery because it gives me the freedom to see family knowing I’ve really only been in my own apartment or on outdoor walks.
That’s not to say I haven’t seen friends! We have done a couple socially distant hang outs with some close friends this past month. This means sitting outside talking at a distance of six feet (or more) and this has really helped me with feeling like I’m still connecting and talking with my friends. We also do virtual murder mystery parties with our group every few weeks, which always is an absolute blast. It’s because we’ve both been so unbelievably careful that we feel comfortable seeing our families.
In some ways, this summer has been relaxing, but there’s also a sense of anxiety in the air about the future. It’s scary to think about how long this will last. I’m grateful the numbers in my state are great – but I’m concerned about gatherings that might cause it to go up.
How are you handling staying socially distant?
