With all of us going through social distancing challenges at the moment, it can be hard for us to find that short moment of escapism from the uncertain realities we’re all currently facing. We’ve all been in the same position lately, desperately trying to find something to keep us entertained without stepping outside. As the weather gets nicer, we’re going to be faced with more responsibility to make sure we’re doing our part by staying indoors and only venturing outside when absolutely necessary; so we’ve come up with our top apps to help suppress that urge to socialize until it’s safe for everybody!
TikTok
We’d be very surprised if you haven’t seen TikTok all across your timeline lately. It’s a great app for capturing the fun in life from either filming yourself dancing to tunes, or reenacting your favourite movie scene! TikTok has a built-in editing tool that allows you to get each post just right with each video being between 15 to 30 seconds. The best thing about it is what happens on TikTok doesn’t just stay on TikTok as users have the option to share their creations on different social media accounts to spread those LOL’s a little bit further! TikTok is currently one of the most used apps in the world, so we recommend getting on board whilst we have all this free time on our hands!
Snapchat
Snapchat is a good old favourite of ours and even though it was one of the first video-based social media apps, it still holds its own amongst its new competitors. Snapchat is a great way to share stories and daily activities with friends and family instantly. You can send written and video messages to group chats, create cute characters to use as personalised emojis, and it’s all temporary unless purposely saved, so there’s tons of freedom to be as embarrassing as you like!
Netflix
Netflix has become a cultural phenomenon and something we just cannot function without. The thought of not having access to an incredible library of both exclusive new content and old favourites to stream is almost a crime in itself! It’s almost guaranteed that everyone you know uses Netflix and if you don’t have an account yet, we have to ask… where have you been?! There are thousands of amazing choices to binge on and it’s perfect to watch alone or on a video call with friends! You can find amazing Netflix Originals such as Orange Is the New Black, You and The Crown as well as other hit shows such as How To Get Away With Murder and Friends all waiting for you in one glorious place! You can get access to streaming heaven for £8.99 a month, which is a very small price to pay for daily distractions, especially now!
YouTube
YouTube will always have a special place in our hearts; it’s been with us through thick and thin and has grown with us throughout the years. It’s a platform that serves multiple needs; from watching travel vlogger videos to watching the latest music videos, there’s something for everyone on YouTube. Owned by Google, YouTube is still one of the top-visited sites worldwide and is a great way of sharing content, whether you’re creating or just viewing.
Tinder
Hey, dating is hard even when we’re not in a pandemic. But if you’re looking to connect with new people just to talk via phone or video chat Tinder is a great place to start. Even though there will be no wine and dining just yet, it can be great to talk to others and share your experiences with new faces. Also, you may just find that this social distancing period may just bring you closer to someone, giving you that extra something to look forward to!
If you’ve got this far into social distancing without using Instagram we have to applaud you because it has become a daily need for majority of the world. Instagram combines the video-sharing fun of Snapchat and the photo-sharing closeness of Facebook into one place. If you’re looking for funny memes, great home decorating ideas or even foodie temptations, Instagram is pretty much the only place to go to. Have fun with the hilarious filters on your Instagram Stories and post lovely pre-social distancing memories to share with family and friends across the world.
This digital bulletin board is ideal if you are looking for inspiration for your new garden, home, hobby project or recipes. You can browse beautiful pictures of cars, sports moments and much more. It is especially ideal if you are working on a project, for example renovating your home or even looking for inspiration to get those annoying house chores taken care of.
Facebook will forever be the hub of keeping everyone close. It has built up an entire empire of well-known mobile apps including Instagram and many more, keeping us all connected and together during these tough times. Although it isn’t necessarily popular with the younger generation, it’s a great way to keep in touch with family and friends across the world whilst using their instant messaging app; and it’s also very handy for remembering the birthdays we always forget and for funny pictures we probably should have forgotten!
VSCO
VSCO is an app makes your original photos even more beautiful, it is very easy to use and has a wide selection of filters to choose from to add that extra flair to your snaps. You can also create your own gallery that you can share amongst the VSCO users, which can also be handy for that extra bit of inspiration! If you’re interested in photography or even if you’re searching for a new hobby to take up whilst we’re stuck indoors, VSCO could be your savior!
AfterFocus
If you really know your stuff and are feeling frustrated with the lack of creativity out there these days, AfterFocus might just be for you! Create using many effects including the depth of field effect of an SLR with just your smartphone! This app may not be for everyone as it doesn’t have a ton of functions but if you’re interested in photography and feel the need to take beautiful pics whilst on your solo walks, AfterFocus can be a great addition! You can manually add effects to your liking, making it just right for posting and sharing on your preferred social media app!
