For yet another year it's a weird time to be socialising in big groups so your PAL leaders have put together some tips for staying in touch with friends and family virtually over the holiday season. These tips are handy if you can't (or don't want to) get together in person.
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, it can be a challenging time when university breaks up and your heading home, away from the friends you've made the past few months and sometimes with assignments looming. It's important to take some time to reconnect and catch up with your family if you want to during this time, but with the recent pandemic, that might feel a little risky. Thankfully, it has never been easier to keep in touch with friends and family online. Lots of fun and innovative ways to connect virtually have popped up over the past few years and it can be a bit of a minefield deciding what to try, especially if you don't want to reuse the same Christmas quiz questions you've heard a hundred times. To help, your PAL leaders have put together these suggestions to help you plan your holiday events.
Online Games and Apps we recommend
Skribbl.io is a free drawing game alot like pictionary that you can set up online and invite people to join. It's lots of fun watching your friends attempt the drawings and trying to figure out what it is. Copy and past this link to explore - https://skribbl.io
Kahoot is a great online tool for creating interactive and timed quizzes, you can go use pictures to add an extra element to your questions or choose one of the many quizzes already there to take your quizzing to the next level. Popular quiz themes you could use are include movies, music, famous faces, eurovision and many more. You'll find Kahoot here - https://kahoot.com
Did you know Cluedo have their own app? You can set up your own game and invite your friends or join a game with online users, it works in the same way as the board game and gives you plenty of opportunities to gather clues and find the culprit. This is a game you can connect to while bored, travelling or just wanting something to pass the time. You can find the app on apple or google play stores.
Virtual Escape Rooms have been popping up alot over the past year and there are some really interesting ones out there, sites like Quizbreaker have reviews and lists of different types, everything from videos, to hosted ones, so there is bound to be something to suit everyone's taste.
Among Us is a mobile game that whilst it was very popular at the beginning of the pandemic and isn't as much now, it is a fun, short game that helps you connect with friends in different places. You'll find the game on the apple and google play stores. It can be a good way to pass some time while snacking on treats too.
Even if you're not into virtual games or apps, just a short zoom or MS Teams call with some coffee or a virtual dinner party can be great ways to catch up and gives you the opportunity to feel connected with your friends and family. Remember to take some time out for yourself too if you need to, there's no shame in wanting a lazy day in front of the television. However you spend the break, have a safe and happy festive season.