by Joseph Oscilowski ‘22

I feel trapped, alone, isolated. Quarantine has negatively affected a lot of people, including myself. I’ve seen my friends maybe five or six times since March, and even that could be considered a lot to those with parents who are very strict about quarantining. Luckily though, us “tech-addicted” kids, as older generations love to call us, are able to socialize through video games during this time.

While I’ve been stuck at home with my family, I’ve been able to meet a lot of new people and strengthen friendships over video games. Junior Megan Remirez-Cuenca, now one of my closest friends, is someone I met this way. “At the start of quarantine, Joseph and I were more so acquaintances than friends,” said Cuenca. “We really only started talking once one of our mutuals invited us to play Minecraft together with them.” Now, Cuenca and I are constantly on FaceTime together. 

Carroll County’s Century High junior Abigail Meyers had a similar experience. “I made a whole group of friends that I talk to almost daily, all from playing video games,” says Meyers. “I’ve formed very close bonds with just about everyone in the group.” Meyers is not the only person creating friend groups through video games. I, along with a few others, have started a group chat on Discord where we befriend people we meet online. There, we are able to talk through a voice chat, allowing us to grow very close even though I don’t know them in real life. 

Overall, nothing with new people over quarantine has been really beneficial for my mental health and the mental health of others. If you’re feeling a little lonely, hop on some video games with a few friends!