Maintaining Communication

What stood out to me in this week’s material is the level of social we are still capable of maintaining online even throughout this time of crisis. While battling a global pandemic, people are finding ways through the use of social media, and video chatting to stay connected, virtually more than ever. It wasn’t until I read TechCrunch’s article about the download rate of party and video apps that I realized how resilient people can be — virtually. The number of downloads that apps like Zoom and Houseparty have received globally since the pandemic began is astounding, and highlights the fact that people are not going to let a virus stop them from mingling and ‘seeing’ one another.

While I noticed how much time I began to spend on Facetime and Skype in order to maintain a level of face-to-face contact with those I hold close to me, I did not consider the global boom triggered that followed the same steps. I have regularly scheduled calls with my close friends and family on a daily and weekly basis, and I do credit them with not only keeping us sane in our own ways, but also keeping us close. I know I’ll hug my friends a little tighter the next time I see them, because there are some that I saw on a regular basis that I have not seen in weeks now; its an odd feeling, but thanks to these apps, a manageable one.