Cover From virtual workouts to trying out new luxury takeaway offerings, here are six social distancing activities to do with friends (Photo: Courtesy of Unsplash)

Looking to bond with friends, social distancing style? We're listing the best social distancing activities to do with friends

In a time where staying at home is advised due to Covid-19, we have been forced to look for more creative ways to bond with friends and family. Thanks to technology, however, spending quality time with loved ones have never been easier. 

From binging the best new shows on Netflix Party, to hosting a virtual cook-off, here are some social distancing-approved activities you can do with friends this season.

See also: 8 Date Night Ideas To Try At Home

1. Virtual Cooking Competition

Put on an apron, pick out a recipe and get cooking. Challenge a few friends to a virtual cooking competition and see who is the master chef of them all. While you won’t be able to taste test everyone’s dish, you can still judge the final result based on presentation and creativity. 

Having trouble deciding on what to cook? Find inspiration from Hong Kong cookbooks, from ArChan Chan’s Hong Kong Local, Matt Abergel’s Chicken and Charcoal and Add Oil, a collection of recipes from Hong Kong’s top restaurants and bars.

2. Try a Dining Experience Together

Miss dining out with your trusted group of foodie friends? Just because you’re not physically in the same room doesn’t mean you can’t share an experience together. 

Hong Kong’s best restaurants and bars are now offering luxury takeaway sets, from eight-course lunches from Happy Paradise, to beautifully crafted sets like the offering from Date By Tate, never have we seen so much thought and creativity put in takeaway meals before—and trying these 2020-special meals is an experience on its own.

See also: The Best Restaurant Delivery and Takeaways In Hong Kong

3. Netflix Party

Catch up on the best holiday movies, latest series releases and Korean dramas with your friends by adding the Netflix Party extension onto your browser. The extension allows you to stream shows with your friends simultaneously, with the addedchat feature on the browser that’ll help you stay connected throughout the show. 

Need to pause the show to refill your wine glass? Hit spacebar and everyone’s screen will be paused as well—no more awkward rewinds to try and sync up with each other.

4. Sign Up For An Online Class

Miss the good old college days? With all the extra time in our hands, now’s the perfect time to sign up for the online class you’ve been wanting to take. As an extra motivator, invite a few friends to join your new educational journey. 

With hundreds of thousands of online courses available online, you can choose more interest-based ones on topics such as art and wellness, or take this opportunity to add more career-related skills onto your resume by enrolling in educational courses that offer certification.

For free activity classes, check out websites such as Brit + Co or Youtube, while more serious learners can check out edX for online courses from world-renowned universities.

See also: 10 Online Course Platforms To Help You Upskill At Home

5. Party Games

Tatler Asia
Above Photo: Courtesy of Unsplash

Your next happy hour Zoom call is about to get competitive. Invite your loved ones of a few friendly matches of online bingo, uno or trivia to jazz things up.

If you’re catching with a larger group, try Mafia, a slightly more complicated psychological game where everyone is split into two teams, and nominations are made each round to kill off Mafia member suspects.

The game ends when all Mafia members are suspected to be eliminated, or if there are more Mafia members than the innocent. It might sound complicated at first, but we guarantee you’ll get into it quickly.

6. Online Workouts

Friends who workout together, stay together. If you’ve been feeling the impact of social isolation due to quarantine, exercise has been shown to help with feelings of anxiety and depression, making it one of the best destressing activity you can do.

While gyms are closed at the moment, there are still plenty of free workout videos available online. Hit up your best sweat buddy, pull out a yoga mat, and challenge each other to see who can hold the longest plank. Winner buys lunch (through delivery apps, of course). 

See also: Lockdown Burnout: What It Is And How To Combat It, According To The Experts

 

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