Hello COVID, Goodbye Old School Connections

The COVID-19 pandemic was nothing short of astounding. Businesses, families, economies, and entire communities were deeply impacted by the coronavirus in more ways than one. A significant characteristic of this unprecedented time was the forced lockdowns that rocked people around the world. Being that humans are social creatures, the shift from connectivity to absolutely zero contact was jarring, to say the least. But one saving grace for the times was the technological advances that were available to bridge gaps between people.

(Tenor)

One study found that during COVID-19, the total number of hours young people spent online increased significantly. Reasons included connecting with friends, consuming news or information, researching hobbies or interests, and even seeking cultural content in times of general absence. Those increased trends in social and cultural activities have not diminished since 2019 either, quite the opposite actually. Many people continue to use multiple social platforms a day for several hours collectively. Coffee meet-ups to chat, dinner outings to reconnect, conference room meetings for work, and even one-on-one performance reviews are now potentially swapped out for a quick FaceTime call or Zoom Meeting instead. The following demonstrates just how much technology has influenced social culture through its increased use of other advancements and social media platforms.

(Smart Insights, 2024)

So, during COVID we were faced with the challenge of HOW are we going to make connections? Now, it is almost a question of how do we get those connections BACK? This means real, authentic, in-person, face-to-face interactions. They seem to have faded out just as technology came rushing in. Which period was better?