Moving to your new home comes with a lot of excitement, expectations as well as responsibilities. When you move to a new home, you will tend to take a lot of time in organizing the house and settling in and you may sometimes forget to get to know your new neighbors. It is however important to know your new neighbors so that you can feel more settled in this new community.
Staying connected to your next-door neighbors is one way to enhance security because, in a community where the members are united, they look out for each other. You may also find new friends among your new neighbors. However, because of the restrictions that have been made due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is limited human interaction which may make it hard to meet your new neighbors after moving into a new home in person. This article however provides tips on how you can stay in touch with your new neighbors during this pandemic.
Video Calls
When you cannot go over to your neighbor’s house or invite them over to yours, you can always video call them. Video calling establishes a personal connection with the person you are talking to when compared to sending messages.
Research has shown that video calling triggers your brain to release the feel-good hormones that are also produced when you are having a face-to-face conversation. There is a wide variety of apps such as Zoom that you can use to video call your new neighbors and stay connected to them during this pandemic.
Virtual Movie and Game Night
Another way to stay connected to your new community is to have an online movie night where you invite others to watch a movie with you. There are some apps like Netflix party which enables you to watch one movie at the same time while you are in different locations.
You can also chat as a group as you watch the movie and this will help you to get to know your new neighbors better. Another way to connect with your new community is by hosting online games which also trigger your brain to be more active.
Social Media
You can also reach out to your new community through social media apps. To get to know your new neighbors better, you can hold an online chat with them through Facebook, Instagram, or many other social media applications as many HOA’s have social accounts setup for the community to communicate. This can also allow you to send photos or videos of what you are doing in your new home. You will learn a lot about the personalities, likes, and dislikes of your neighbors from their social media accounts.
Virtual Book Clubs
If you and your new neighbors enjoy reading books, you can host a virtual book club and stay connected with them. The book club allows you to share your thoughts about a particular book and you can also learn a lot about your new neighbors from the book club. A book club also engages your mind and helps you to be active during the pandemic.
A Drive-by Hello
You can drive by your new neighbor’s houses in what is now called a “Coronavirus parade” and talk to them from a distance. You can carry some signs that send heartwarming messages to your neighbors and this will help you to connect with them and see their faces. If you want to have a chat with your neighbors, you can ask them to come closer to the car but always ensure that they are maintaining the six feet social distance.
In conclusion, when you move to a new community, it is important to establish a connection with your new community. In doing so, you will be less lonely and you will have someone who is looking out for you. Since there is limited human interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, you can stay connected to your new community through other means like video calling, virtual game and movie nights, and through a drive-by hello.
