In the age of coronavirus, we’re all self quarantining, or we really should be. Memes are being shared instead of germs and the way we socialize and communicate is rapidly changing. Making connections with people through sharing the plant has always been one of Dockside’s core tenets and we are here to help you facilitate some good old fashioned community bonding without getting physical.
Create a Spotify Playlist with Friends
Maybe you’re old fashioned and prefer the classic mixtape or CD. But times have changed! Make a playlist for your friends and loved ones. Or get your group of friends involved and collaborate on the ultimate quaran-tunes playlist!
Share Recipes
Gone are the days of potlucks but thank goodness for technology! Do a recipe swap with friends and change up your mealtime routine! You could also create a Facebook virtual potluck group to share recipes and pictures. Invite all your friends and take turns live broadcasting cooking your casseroles!
Group Chat
Social support from friends and family can help you get through the most stressful of times and we need all the support we can get right about now. Being part of a friend network gives you a sense of belonging and self-worth, which can help you in combatting anxiety and depression. One study found that for women in particular, spending time with friends and children helps release oxytocin, a natural stress reliever. This effect is called “tend and befriend,” and is the opposite of the fight-or-flight response. With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, you shouldn’t expose yourself or others and it’s best to limit your physical interactions. Try face-timing or gchatting a friend or get the whole gang together and video chat with apps like BlueJeans. Local comedians in Seattle have taken to the screen. Joketellers Union uploads their live-streamed shows for all to enjoy! Don’t forget to donate and support your local artists.
Start a Book Club
Start a book club or if you’re already in one, make it virtual! Books are great for anxiety and can prevent mental decline. Escape into a book unless that book is The Plague by Albert Camus. Maybe don’t read that one. If that happens to be your genre, check out this long list of pandemic themed books!
Netflix & Chill Netflix & Chat
Getting stoned and watching Netflix alone can be amazing, but it’s even better with friends. Plus you don’t even have to leave your house (not that you could anyway).
Thanks to Netflix Party you can now sync up with friends and strangers virtually and watch the same show or movie while simultaneously chatting it up! You’ll need to have a Netflix subscription in order to participate.
Install NetflixParty (please note that this extension is only compatible with Chrome browsers) Once on the site, select “Install Netflix Party”
Next, Select Add to Chrome:
Click “Add extension”:
Access Netflix and click the Red ‘NP’ to the right of your browser search bar. Now you can start your Netflix Party!
Party on!
Netflix Party extension may not be compatible with all devices. We recommend watching on a computer browser and if you have issues, please reach out to Netflix Party.