These times are hard on everyone. We have experienced a sudden change in the schedule of our lives. Nothing is normal. We have a new normal.

The schedule that we followed every day has become obsolete. We have adapted to many changes in our lives, but we all face some difficulties to accept the changes which have been thrown upon us.

One of the biggest changes we have had is being socially inactive. We are practicing social distancing, which means no social interactions, no hangouts, no meeting with friends and relatives. At least not like we used to.

For many people, this has caused a significant effect on their mental health. People find friendships and social interactions nurturing. They need to have contact with people to feel better. Every human needs a friend who can provide love, comfort, a shoulder to rely on, someone to talk to.

Friends helps us deal with stress, make better lifestyle choices that keep us strong, and allow us to rebound from health issues and disease more quickly.

These current events have forced us to stay at home. People feel alone, they miss their friends. We all were used to going to schools and colleges everyday, where the first thing we did was talk to our friends. We used to share stories, laughter and problems. We felt happy in the company of our closest friends. We were around people for most of the day where we could escape our problems and find solace and comfort with our friends. We could ask advice or literally talk about anything.

We are now longing to have those interactions back. How we wish that we could have one normal day before everything gets back to worse again. This distancing causes a serious problem for people who cannot have those relationships and friendships in their lives. Not everyone can communicate on social media easily. Not everyone can tell their best friend their feelings while talking on text messages.

Moreover, not everyone has social media available at their homes. And even if they have social media, nothing can beat the feel of talking to people face-to-face. We cannot experience that on the web.

All is not gloomy. This social distancing can be a gift for us. We can reconnect with our families, we can befriend our parents and siblings, if we had strained relationships before. We can share our thoughts and feelings with them because most of us did not have the time before to have deep, meaningful conversations with our family members. If we are away from our friends, we can make new friends in our family.

Social media will always come to our rescue. For those who have internet services available, we can easily be connected with our friends 24/7. With Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram, we are seconds away from our friends. We can always talk on calls, messages or video calls, whichever we are comfortable with.

If children are not allowed to have their own phones or their social media, it is the parents’ responsibility to provide them with the resources to be able to talk to their friends. Otherwise, being cut off from friends, can have a serious toll on the children’s mental and physical health. Parents can organise video calls with friends and cousins of their children every day, or every week, where they can talk, share their daily lives, play games, and tell each other about what they are up to.

You can play online multiplayer games with your friends, where you can have fun and talk at the same time. So what if you cannot go to your friend’s house to play? You can still do that online. You can create group chats where everyone can share texts, pictures or videos to have the same fun you used to have in school.

A little conversation everyday can go a long way to keep friendships alive, provide interactions and not feel alone. If you do not keep a check on your friends, you may lose them or not have the same spark in your relationship anymore. Calling up your friends randomly and talking to them for a few minutes every day will make up your day as well as put a smile on their face.

If you are feeling down, call your friend. If you are happy and have something to share, text them. Your friend’s birthday is coming up? Get a cake delivered to them and then organise a zoom meeting with all your friends so you can celebrate their day together.

These little things will help you nourish, provide you peace of mind your loneliness.

Lack of friendship or social support creates the risk of developing anxiety or social disorders. Especially for school going children, this situation can make or break their social attitudes. It has been almost four months of social distancing, four months of children not going to schools and being without friends for four months can create severe negative impact on children. They are not able to have the growth and learning opportunities that friends provide.

When in the future, we are allowed to have social interaction again, children may find that they do not have friends like they used to and may feel estranged. Thus it is important for parents and teachers to collaborate and arrange children to talk to each other and maintain their friendships. Teenagers can manage this themselves but it is also important to remind them to ask their friend how they are doing today.

No matter what stage of life you are in, cultivating friendships is essential to your life and health. Friends help you become better, help you grow and progress, solve your problems, encourage your ideas and provide a virtual hug. Your friends will help you go through these difficult and challenging times with ease and provide you with a partner who is experiencing the same conditions that you are, feeling the same feelings, desiring the same things. So keep a check on your school, college, office, and social media friends while staying home and take care of your health and your life.

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 4th, 2020