When we went on lockdown last March, we all thought it was anything but a temporary halt to everything we were used to do, and we’d all go back to normal a month after that we’re all excited to make plans with friends for the next hangout. Little did we know that six months in, we’re nowhere near physical hangouts again. 

Being in quarantine can be lonely, horrifying, even, especially when you’re someone who’s used to spending time with friends at school or at work. Thankfully, we’ve got technology to stay connected with them through virtual hangouts.

If you’re looking for ways to bond even in quarantine, here are some exciting activities to level up your virtual hangouts with your barkada.

Catch up with friends via video calls

Thanks to the internet and social media, we don’t have to be apart from our friends. We may not physically meet, but who says you can’t bond with them online? Keep your connection through video calls with your barkada. 

Facebook recently launched rooms, where you can create a special room where you and your friends can hang out virtually. You can share your screens and present slides about your life updates. Plus, you can compete with your friends with some in room games, too! 

Have a painting session

The lockdown had us all looking for new hobbies and a chance to use our creative juices. Channel your inner Bob Ross with a fun painting session and be an artist. Round up all your friends into a Zoom Call and follow along with the same Bob Ross painting tutorial. All you have to do is to gather painting materials, and make happy little trees of our own.

Host an E-numan and Karaoke

Even though we still can’t go out for drinks and karaoke sessions, we can definitely have our own e-numan (if you’re of legal drinking age, of course) and karaoke nights! Make the e-numan session more enjoyable by playing classic drinking games like King’s Cup, Never Have I Ever, or even Cards Against Humanity online while gulping your ice-cold beers. Bring out your liquors and pulutan, select your favorite songs on YouTube or join Karaoke Zoom party on Karaoke Camp.

Throw a Powerpoint party

Want to take it up a notch? Why not geek it up by throwing a Powerpoint party with a random topic about anything under the sun. For fun. When was the last time you created a Powerpoint presentation other than reports in school or for work? 

You can create a fun Powerpoint with five slides about random things. Make sure to use video conferencing apps like Zoom, Hangouts, and Facebook Rooms to screen share your presentations. Assign a time limit for each player and choose themes to make it more interesting.

Here are some fun topics you can use to help you get started:

• Why Tapsilog is the Best Silog
• Why F.R.I.E.N.D.S is superior than How I Met Your Mother
• Why Everybody is a Bojack Horseman Character
• History of Sexbomb Girls
• Which Hogwarts House Do Senators Belong?
• Best to Worst: Top Tier Barbie Movies

Organize a game event

Gather the squad and get your PCs and phones rev up for some invigorating games. Whether it’s about finding the impostor in Among Us, building territories on Animal Crossing, raiding teams on Call of Duty or PUBG, playing games online with friends is surely enjoyable. Online quizzes like Kahoot or online board games like Scrabble, Dungeons and Dragons, Battleship, Monopoly, and Scattergories are great, too. You may choose a time when you’re all online and discuss things at Discord while playing. 

Netflix Watch Party

Whether it’s about watching your favorite TVs series, movies, or even Korean dramas, it’s more enjoyable to have a whirlwind of emotions with your friends as you stream the same show. Here’s how it works. You just need to add the Netflix Party on Chrome as an extension. Then access your separate Netflix accounts and pick a movie or show to watch. Netflix Party will sync the playback on your screens so you’re watching the same part at the same time. It has a chat function at the right side of the screen to let you chat and react in real time. Get your popcorn ready for your Netflix virtual hangout! 

Trivia Nights

Challenge your brains and wits on a classic take on quiz shows! Don’t you love it when everyone is competitive to win on trivia about pop culture, science, art, or history? Categories may range from general knowledge to specific topics. All you need to do is to have a game master moderating the game and more players to join the challenge. You can even pattern it on shows like Jeopardy, Family Feud, or even Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader. Take it up to the next level by awarding prizes for the winning team. (It makes the game competitive when players have had a few drinks).

While social distancing is still effective in the country, we can do our best to make time to reconnect and bond with our barkada. With these fun-filled virtual hangouts, we can make memories with them even when apart. 

What other exciting activities did we miss?