I sit on my bed, my laptop laying in front of me while I sip a cup of tea. I’m wearing my pajamas, watching as my family members try to stack cups as quickly as they can. My uncle in Idaho competes with my cousins in Utah. My cousins in California show off their skills as my aunt in Texas watches on her living room couch.
My family is spread out across the country, and while Finnegan family game night is a very important tradition we hold close to our hearts, we typically only get to do it when we’re all together for the holidays. Now, using Zoom, we meet every month.
COVID-19 has caused a lot of big changes in 2020, but in ways, it has also brought people together. With technology more available and commonplace, many individuals are using it to connect with the people in their lives as well as meet new ones. Whether it’s connecting family and friends through games or starting new relationships through dating apps, technology has had a lasting impact on the world we live in today.
Gaming Connections
Lauren Jackson, a student at the University of Idaho, sits at the desk in her dorm room. The cold, white brick walls surround her as she argues into the microphone of her headset.
On the screen in front of her, a collection of colorful jellybean-looking characters are listed out by name, with a clock counting down the time they have to vote. Despite her argument, the group votes for her character Peach as the impostor, and she is thrown off the ship.
Using apps such as Discord, Jackson can use video games as a way of connecting with other people. Two to three times a week she plays a variety of games, including “Among Us,” with her brother and a group of his high school friends.
“We’ll hop on Discord, we’ll hop on the voice chat and just kind of hang out for a few hours,” Jackson said. “(We) just try to get together so that way we don’t feel so alone when we’re so far apart.”
Video games do not just give Jackson the ability to connect with her friends, but to make new friends. Over Discord, Jackson is added to groups comprised of her friends and her friends’ friends. When someone wants to play a game, they ping everyone on the channel and those who want to join enter the game server.
“It’s quite nice to actually play with some new people,” Jackson said. “It’s quite refreshing because it’s always people that I have certain things in common with.”
The interactions she has through video games have given Jackson a chance to connect with other people in ways that are difficult to find during the pandemic. Outside of Discord, Jackson doesn’t have a lot of opportunities to meet people or interact with them.
“It’s a little lonely living in a room by myself with like five plants,” Jackson said. “(Playing together) makes those connections just slightly easier in just being a little bit better to be able to talk to anybody.”
Crushes, COVID, and Comfort Zones
Nicole Moon also uses technology to meet new people. After starting college, Moon downloaded Tinder and Bumble as a way to put herself out there.
“I guess the way I started out was just to see if there’s any way I can make friends,” Moon said.
Before college, she had never heard of the apps. At first, she was wary of using them. She was concerned the conversations she started online might not be the same in person.
“After meeting someone… I felt more comfortable on the app,” Moon said. “So, I would start swiping right more often.”
Savannah Call has used Tinder to arrange dates as well, but found herself often deleting the app. She downloaded the app again earlier this year after a break-up. For months, Call messaged people on the app but never really met anyone.
“I always deleted it because I just felt like everyone just wanted sex, or it was just hooking up and it was not a real connection,” Call said. “It’s just not really worth it.”
Call said last year she didn’t really want to use dating apps because there were other options. She used to meet people at social events or classes, but this year there was no way to do that. So, she turned to apps like Tinder.
“It definitely is possible to make connections,” Call said. “I actually found my boyfriend two weeks ago on Tinder. So, it is possible.”
The use of dating apps during a pandemic comes with its own set of unique challenges. While it’s nice to connect with people and meet new people, meeting someone for a date can come with risks.
Both Call and her boyfriend McKenzy Bogden said it’s important to do what you can to stay safe when meeting someone from dating apps, this includes making sure to consider COVID-19 when meeting someone.
“That’s how I initially got COVID,” Bogden said. “I got COVID from some girl at WSU and we just hung out.”
Some people make sure their dates get tested for COVID-19 before meeting them or decide to meet over Zoom or FaceTime instead. Bogden said you don’t always know how cautious someone has been about social distancing before meeting them.
Several dating apps have options for safer dating practices during the pandemic. Tinder has provided a new video chat option when messaging people, and Bumble has provided a section for users to share what kind of dates they are comfortable going on. Options range from socially distanced dates to masked dates and Zoom dates.
As the pandemic continues, Bogden said he has noticed more people using social media and dating apps to connect to others in positive ways.
“It’s nice to be able to gravitate toward somebody and have a connection with somebody that’s new, especially in a pandemic,” Bogden said. “There’s still happiness and people can still be happy during this time even though it can seem like the world is coming to an end.”
Story by Brianna Finnegan
Photos by Brianna Finnegan & Courtesy
Design by Danielle Hawkins