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People around the world are being forced to quickly adapt to the new world of social distancing . With the coronavirus pandemic still in the early stages of the curve, experts believe the measures will be in place for some time. While the world is yearning for a relaxation of the rules, it seems the restrictions won’t be going away anytime soon. In fact, researchers at Harvard University say social distancing measures could be needed through 2022.
In an attempt to maintain some semblance of a social life, you open a random dating app to stop feeling like the ultra-lonely single you are. You match, message, and maybe even video chat. In the midst of a global epidemic, you’ve found someone you want to get to know better. The only problem: you can’t or aren’t (supposedly) allowed to meet them for a date. What now?
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Virtual Date Ideas
Practicing social distancing doesn’t mean you have to put your dating life on hold . If you’ve just met someone or keep putting off that first date, there’s still hope. While meeting in person isn’t an option if you want to adhere to the COVID-19 measures, that doesn’t mean you can’t date at all.
There are plenty of ways to date, they just require a bit of creativity. So if you and your date don’t live near each other, here are 9 virtual date ideas.
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1. Take a free online class together
Thanks to the corona measures and the intelligent lockdown, all kinds of new initiatives have emerged that have moved the physical world online. Children are receiving online distance education and small-scale gyms are giving live group lessons on Facebook. There is no better time than now to take a (free) online lesson. And during the period of isolation, it is a great way to stay busy and learn something new.
If you and your date want to learn something new together, these online classes are the perfect opportunity to do it together. You might even learn something from it, as well as giving you something new to talk about.
2. Have a drink together virtually
When the bars and cafes are closed, there’s nothing left to do: have a drink at each other’s homes. Not in real life, but virtually. Set up a virtual date at a time that both of you have enough time. Get ready as you would for a real date, pour your favorite drink, put on some relaxing music, and sit down at the dining table to video call your date.
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3. Watch a movie together
From Netflix and chill to Quarantine and chill : watching a movie together remains a viable date option in these times. And you can also end up in bed together before, during or after the movie: just not in the same bed. With popular Chrome extensions such as Netflix Party , Watch2Gether and Metastream you can watch movies together with others via the internet browser. If physical cuddling during the movie is not possible, this is a great way to still form some kind of bond.
4. Visit a museum
But that is not possible now? Yes, it is. Instead of going there in real life, you can find various tours of museums around the world on YouTube. Have you always wanted to see the famous works in the Prado Museum in Madrid (Spain)? There is a slideshow that takes you one by one along the 200 works of art that the museum has to offer. Or maybe you are more the type to take a walking tour through the Louvre in Paris (France)?
If you want to delve into certain works of art and museums together, Google Arts and Culture also has various virtual tours. Especially in these times, showing the virtual collection comes at just the right time, because a museum date is not possible at the moment. For the planned virtual date, you can agree to look at the same art at the same time. You can do this via FaceTime, Whatsapp, Zoom, Skype, or whichever video platform you prefer.
5. Make something for someone else
Whether you’re a handyman or the type who last made something during a craft or art class, crafting together is more fun than doing it alone. Especially when you’re making something for your partner while on a video call. Grab whatever craft supplies you can think of and make something special for your match. Swap them out after the self-isolation period is over.
6. Tour of your home
There’s a reason MTV Cribs was so popular: we love seeing other people’s homes. It’s also why clips of celebrity home tours go viral. There’s a voyeur in all of us. As a virtual date, you can give your match a virtual tour of your home since you’re already confined to it. So why not show each other where you’re spending your self-isolation time? It’ll give you an idea of each other’s tastes, preferences, hygiene, and cleanliness.
7. Take a virtual walk together
Strange times call for inventive solutions. If you can’t meet up to go for a walk together, you can still go for a walk together. How? Pair a pair of earbuds to your smartphone, put them in your pocket and both start a walk while talking to each other. It’s not the real deal , but it comes pretty close. Plus, if you see something nice along the way, you’ll have plenty to talk about , so you can tell the other person about it.
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8. Cook the same recipe together
Who can cook better: you or your date? Choose a recipe together that you want to follow and both make the dish from your own home. Get the ingredients in advance, prepare all the stuff you need and print out the recipe. Then all you have to do is wait until your date is ready and you can start cooking. Of course, you can keep track of each other’s progress with a video call. It’s like making food together in your own kitchen.
9. Play an online game together
In difficult times – like the period we are living in now – we like to fall back on the well-known methods to feel a little less lonely. And then we are talking about board games and games in general. How about a board game night with your date? Only then not at each other’s table, but online. Play online chess against each other, Monopoly or a 1-on-1 game of poker: game on !
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