Dating in the Time of COVID-19

Well, here we are. Most of us are stuck in our home and apartments by now, operating as well we can virtually. Our boss (if we had a boss in February) has already asked you to stay at home and work from there, and that may or not be okay with you.

All of us operate differently when our world gets upended by something and uncontrollable and unimaginable able as this COVID-19 business has. Some can make the seamless transition to telecommuting, while others end up cleaning out their closet instead of dutifully sitting at their laptops. But when it comes to dating, adjusting to this time of suffering may not be as straight forward as it might seem. Younger people in school may have significant others across town or across the county, while others may be be stunned bu the abrupt postponement of a new relationship. In any case, here are some tips to survive the great quarantine of 2020.

This will pass

You need to keep reminding yourself that this too shall pass. That is, sometime in the not-too-distant future you'll be allowed back out into society, back into bars and restaurants, able to hang out with your friends again. This important because fear, anxiety and isolation can play trick on the mind and cause people to act irrationally. But maintaining close contact via text or video chat, you can stay close, if only virtually, with your significant other during these try times. And if your relationship can survive this, that it has longevity. If it doesn't, well, then maybe it wasn't meant to be. No matter what, don't resort to saying or writing anything you will regret later (either in private or on social media) because this will be over and you'll have to eventually face these again.

No Drinking and Texting

This is self explanatory but deserves a mention because, well, a lot us are using alcohol to deal with our anxieties during this crisis. Try and separate your boozing activities from your phone use to prevent unintended correspondence to occur. Remember, the meaning of messages can easily get lost in context.

Set-up Virtual Dates

While excessive drinking while couped up at home is never a good choice, setting up a 'date' on Facetime over a glass of wine is encouraged. Send an invite via text out to someone you'd normally ask out for a real date, and suggest you share a drink together while video chatting. This might sound awkward of even silly, but your clever problem-solving today might lead to an actual in-person date later.

Be Creative & Clever

Use this time to get your creative juices flowing and try to come up with some fun and flirty stories or anecdote you can share with a select few. This will help bring some levity to this otherwise serious situation, and help get your self and maybe some others get through. This could be in the form of a daily Instagram story poking fun at the new normal, writing a funny song or a silly poem about our collective conundrum. The point is to help someone you care about take their mind off the reality of the times.

Good luck, and don't forget to wash your hands frequently!