Day after day we hear about the effects technology is having on our social skills. “People can’t talk to each other anymore”, “all people do these days is sit on their phones” yada yada yada. I’m sure those cries of concern are more than familiar – it seems the current generation is yet another that believes its advancements in technology are set to doom society as we know it. The telephone was invasive, the TV was the end of all productivity, and don’t even get me started on the internet. As usual though, we live on, and learn to take advantage of our feats of science.
As suggested in the title of this article – we believe technology if used correctly can in fact make us more social. There are plenty of clever people creating clever platforms that encourage interaction and get us out the door enjoying the company of others. Here are 5 ways in which tech can make you more social:
1) Find and Save on New Hobbies with OfferBook.
Always wanting to crawl under a rock when someone asks what your hobbies are, instead of telling them that you like reading webcomics and dressing up your cat? The things you do in your spare time give you ammunition for your social life, something to connect with those around you. So, we recommend utilizing that new-fangled smartphone to go beyond taking cat selfies.
OfferBook is a cool app that caters to every set of interests; it’s a specially designed search platform for daily deals so gives you access to all sorts of opportunities for new experiences and chances to figure out your new hobby. It means that you’ll have access to the cheapest way to try new things, in a super easy-to-navigate way. So go back to basics and learn something new and meet some likeminded people. Using OfferBook means you'll be able to try that aqua-jogging class without losing a bunch of money and you can figure out if you actually LIKE it before committing time and cash.
OfferBook is available on the iOS marketplace for free, so check it out here.
2. Schedule some Friend-time with Doodle
Doodle.com lets you check when everyone’s free in a simple, user friendly way. Just fill out session options and send the link to your elusive friends; they can simply click the options for when they’re free. No longer does the too-complicated-to-meet-up argument for groups of people a valid one! Now that it’s so easy to set up your hang-outs, you can improvise meetings to bump into new people. Try obligating your friends into expanding their friend groups too, by setting up an event where all those friends you're so used to hanging out with bring one new friend each to your next event. Make sure that it’s someone that at least half of the original group hasn't met. They can also bring their partners that have to do the same. Do something interactive like have a dinner party together or go to a pub quiz. It’s quite possible that you'll have a lot of fun with people you never knew existed!
3. Find a match with POF and Tinder
If you're looking for love or something similar; consider trying out a dating website, like POF.com or the infamous Tinder app for your smartphone to find some prospective matches. POF asserts its status as the most visited dating site of them all! With “chemistry test” to check your subliminal needs as well as an action plan for your next relationship with advice on what went wrong in the last one, this is a very serious site committed to find you love. Tinder is a bit shallower with a visual system where you can either swipe Yes or No on each person with the app in your specific vicinity. You can message those people who also swipe you with a Yes. Tinder is available on the iOS and Android marketplaces for free. Even if your matches don't work out, maybe you'll meet a few people and find some friendships or learn valuable things about what you're not looking for!
4. Stay Connected with Facebook
This is an obvious one, we know – but when you talk about connectivity and the internet, we can’t go without mentioning Facebook. There are always those few people at your work or school that you've never spoken to or simply assumed you had nothing in common with. Try chatting to them and give them a good chance to actually reveal themselves as a person, a little kindness and interest goes a long way (as long as you’re not being creepy). Facebook and other forms of connection that your school or college might have can be great to connect with people if chatting in real life is a bit difficult. You might connect with people you never expected. Perhaps you'll find yourself with homework help or just make their day if they were feeling a bit average; it’s a win-win!
5. Happy Snapping with VSCO
While the more obvious option when you think about photo-sharing is Instagram, we believe the VSCO app is a fantastic platform for those slightly more into their photography. Utilized mainly for shooting & adding filters to photos at the moment, VSCO have recently added a grid feature to their app which works in a similar way to Instagram. You take and share photos to your grid, follow other users, and explore the universal grid to see popular snaps. What differentiates VSCO is the exceptional design & UI on show, and the type of user currently occupying the app. You tend to see much higher quality photos, and a more interesting range of photo subjects (i.e. not just coffees, Bieber/1D pics and selfies).
So – there you have 5 bonafide ways to utilize technology in order to become more social and more active in your little community of friends. Take that, societal doom-mongers and technophobes.
What are your favorite apps for staying connected? Let us know in the comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment