As the spread of coronavirus continues to change our lives on a daily basis, some of us have stopped to wonder: Where did all our quiet time go? Shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders mean we are all video chatting a lot more these days. At first, seeing the faces of friends and family on a screen seemed like a welcome balm to these uncertain times. But as the novelty wears off, and the Zoom hangovers are real, we realize the beauty of simply being ... quiet. Below, the Cut's staff explores our current reactions to digitally hanging out.
Allison Davis, features writer: How are we supposed to say no to video chats when we're invited? I feel like my group-hangout-to-getting-stuff-done ratio is wild, but I can't reject any requests for Zoom/Houseparty/FaceTime hangs? On Friday I had like six hours of FaceTime hangs, including a dance party, and I woke up hungover on Saturday and was like, "This is too much. What is this?" What I really wanted was to just make pizza dough and set up my Switch.
Amanda Arnold, staff writer: Yeah, I woke up hungover on Sunday after stopping by two Zoom parties the night before.
Callie Beusman, news editor: I agree. The social consequences of being alone is ruining my alone time.
Melissa Dahl, deputy editor: I am purposefully taking a night off from video chats tonight, which feels weird to have to decide to do while in isolation. It was my birthday this weekend, and I got so many impromptu FaceTimes, which I am just not used to! It was so nice but just, a lot.
Kelly Conaboy, writer-at-large: It was too much for me pretty much immediately, chatting over video makes me very uncomfortable. Like someone showing up unexpectedly at your front door.
Katie Heaney, senior writer: I've only had like three so far, I don't mind them. But congratulations to everyone else for having so many friends.
Jordan Larson, essays editor: The week before last - when everything was changing rapidly - I just wanted to be talking to everyone all the time and sharing updates and seeing everyone's faces. And now it's like, yeah, this is still happening and it still sucks. I need some alone time.
Allison Davis: Yes, I just want to stop talking about things and do my comfort projects and read.
Emilia Petrarca, senior writer: I wrote a love poem to Zoom the other night:
Beans aren't good / Puzzles aren't entertaining / TikTok dances aren't dances / Please just Zoom with me I love you.
Allison Davis: The first great poem of the pandemic.
Matthew Schneier, features writer: I like Zooming okay, but I also like having private things I keep from it. I currently have a mustache that I won't be sharing with anyone on Zoom.My self-care is having a secret mustache that I refuse to share.
Jen Gann: Anyone else hiding anything from their Zooms?
Kerensa Cadenas, culture editor: I Zoomed with a dude I'd been seeing before all of this last night and it was kinda just like fuck it for both of us. Like fully without makeup for me.
Callie Beusman: I do love alone time, but I also actually love Zooming! All of my close friends moved all over the world in the past three years and we've been awful at all keeping in touch. I wish I had been doing it before the pandemic.
Hannah Gold, writer: I just want to be alone most of the time. I want to write long letters to my friends, and I've ordered more pens. The occasional video chat is nice, though.
Rebecca Ramsey, fashion director: I'm desperate for some alone time, tbh.
Melissa Dahl: I love the FaceTimes and Zooms, too; it's just insane how I am craving alone time while in isolation.
Bridget Read, writer: I don't like that to end one, you have to have an excuse like, "Watching Blade Runner!" And then you feel pressure to reschedule.
Callie Beusman: Oh, I just leave a video chat whenever I feel like it's time for me to go. Because it's so casual I feel like I can just be like, "That's enough, bye."
Stella Bugbee, editor-in-chief: On that note.
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