life & style // no. 16 theotherpress.ca Quarantine-safe date ideas > Great for first encounters, friends, and partners... even your mom! Morgan Hannah Life & Style Editor he word “date” has a heavy, often romantic implication—but it doesn’t have to! The important part of “dating” is ensuring you and someone you're interested in having a relationship with— romantic or otherwise—spend quality time together. So, whether you've run out of quarantine-safe date ideas to keep your long-term relationship fresh, or you're bonding with your mom or initiating contact with a friend from an app, here’s a list of great quarantine-safe date ideas. And the best part is, all of these ideas work great for long distance relationships and friendships too! Coffee & Walk Grab some coffee and go for a socially distanced walk together! Use this opportunity to ask each other questions or play ice breaker games while getting some exercise; fresh air always helps set a positive tone to any day. As a bonus, if you didn't already know it, now you know how your walking companion takes their coffee. Video chat dinner This one is fun for long-distance: start up the FaceTime or a Zoom call when you both get to the grocery store and shop together, collaborating on the dish you're gonna make and the ingredients you'll need. (Make sure to say goodbye for now so you can both safely get home). When you're both settled into your respective kitchens, start up the video call again and guide each other through the recipe, while chatting and getting to know one another better. Then compare the results of your dinners before digging in. Plan vacations using Google Maps Who isn’t itching to get back out there and travel?! So, when to plan a vacation together using Google Maps? Hit the “feeling lucky” button and see where Google suggests. Then, do a little research and swap photos, events, locations, accommodations, and more! Using Google Street View can make it feel like you're already there. Care packages Why not put together packages full of the recipient’s favourite things, or things that remind you of them and mail it to them? Or, if it’s possible, deliver it in person and leave it outside their door. This not only shows you care, but it'll also add a little excitement to their day to receive some mail. As a bonus, you could start a joint journal together to keep more in touch and share your thoughts and ideas. Watch a show or movie together Netflix Party, Zoom screen share, and TwoSeven are designed to help you sync up your video content and give you a chat box to react to whatever youre watching together. Pop some popcorn, bring out the Twizzlers, and pop in a comedy, ora romantic movie! Paint or draw each other Use your phone screen as a picture, study it, and draw each other! Then show off your mad portrait skills. Go one step further and add your drawing to each other’s care packages. Cocktail experimentation Try out some new cocktail recipes and have some fun sampling them along the way! Why not create some fun drinking games and get to know each other in a new way. Rent a hotel room If you're more interested in in-person “dates,” why not rent a hotel room together and watch movies or cable TV while ordering room service? You can bring crafts, boardgames, and drinks too! Scavenger hunt Take turns planning epic scavenger hunts around the city. Carefully plan out all the pitstops and leave hints that only the two of you would know to look for. Keep in mind what the prize at the end will be. Remember to keep covid protocols in mind and don't leave any hints inside stores with reduced hours or with those who don’t want to participate. Tips for making friends using Bumble BFF » Just another girl looking for pals in a pandemic Morgan Hannah Life & Style Editor f youre like me and you don’t already have a squad to have your back during these difficult times, it can feel rather lonely in the real world. That’s why I’m giving Bumble BFF a try after seeing a couple of advertisements about gals making pals using the app. I always thought that online apps were designed for dating only, but Bumble BFF is a handy streamline way to make friends during any situation the world throws at you. Whether youre looking for gym buddies, night out gals, roomies, workmates, or you're up for a little bit of everything, Bumble BFF delivers. Some tips I’ve put together to help you see success in your search for friends using Bumble BFF are to make sure you fill out your biography! Witty, detailed bios invite conversation and questions; you want to entice someone to learn more about you. It’s also important to clearly outline what youre looking for—if you want to find real friends to spend time with outside of the app, for example, make sure that that is highlighted. Fun, exciting profile pictures are way better than just a stream of selfies— remember, you're not looking for a romantic partner, so showing off how cute you look in all your wardrobe isn’t necessary (unless you're looking for friends who enjoy fashion, dress up, or shopping). You come across as more independent yet inclusive if you're not always posing with your current or past friends, boyfriends, or pets. Having a variety of photos that show off when you're happy and doing what you love will guarantee more gals swiping “yes” to you. Cool artsy photos and positive goal-oriented content is best for showing yourself as put together and taken seriously in the market for friends. Initiate the conversation first. | know it came be intimidating, but there’s nothing for you to lose! The entire conversation is during your own time and if things don’t work out, you can simply un-match each other. It’s best not to wait for the other person to talk first because if they dont, that’s a potential friend lost. If you're swiping “yes,” make sure youre prepared to potentially make friends. When you do initiate the conversation, try something fun and fresh! For example, ask them a bold, open-ended question with no limits to see how crazy or wild their imagination is! Or provide three random fun facts about yourself and ask for them to reciprocate—this will get the conversation going and give you tidbits to talk about. When replying to someone, don’t just reply; try and figure out a way to keep the conversation going. Ask lots of questions, change the subject if it isn’t flowing, play games, or if youre feeling up for it, suggest stepping up a level and video chatting or meeting up in real life. Make sure to discuss each other’s views and preferences on COVID-19 before meeting up in real life to ensure you're both comfortable with what happens next. I hope these tips help you see some serious results in your search for friends, but before I wrap things up, here’s some last minute advice to keep in mind: don't hide behind your cell phone in photos, better yet don’t just post selfies! Make sure you actually fill out your bio... you're here to chat, so give ‘em something to chat about! If someone is actively online and conversing with you, be bold and participate! Don’t wait for them to log off before you reply because what’s the point of that? Happy hunting!