You've probably heard it a thousand times already, but in this day and age we couldn't be more interconnected with each other. You may not have seen them face-to-face in quite a while, but there are a number of ways you can "hang out" with your friends during this pandemic.

First, the very obvious choice is Snapchat. To set up a groupchat can take a few seconds and you can send messages, videos, pictures, and even hold conference calls with everyone in the chat. Of course, this isn't perfect, as a groupchat doesn't have any form of moderation, meaning that if someone needs to be muted or kicked out of the chat for any reason ( i.e. being rude, annoying, or toxic), then another chat needs to be created without the individual.

Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have very similar chats, as well, with a somewhat similar problem. You can block or mute a user, but with the exception of Facebook, you cannot take an individual out of a groupchat.

Next would be Google Meet and Zoom Meet. Both are very similar, with the main focus being on video chat. The owner of the meeting can kick out or mute any rude or annoying trolls if they get too out of hand. However, they tend to pick up background noise a lot and Zoom has shown to have many connectivity and security issues, which is why the teachers in our school aren't allowed to use it anymore. If you are going to use one, it is best to use Google Meet.

Finally, there is Discord. This application was originally created as a dedicated video game chat, but has evolved into a bit more than that as the user base grew. Instead of having a singular chat, instead you create a server, which, depending on how you plan to use it could be easy or somewhat difficult. Despite this, Discord is quite significant in its software prowess. A recent addition to the voice chat had been implemented, in which it searches for voices and cancels out all other background noise. They have also recently implemented video chat, as well, so that you can be "face-to-face" with your friends once again. A Discord server can support multiple chats, as well, for both voice and messages.

As with any form of social media, be careful of what you tell people. These chats and servers can include people your friends know, but you don't. If someone sends you something illegal or illicit, instead of deleting it, inform your closest trusted adult as well as the authorities right away.

Stay safe and occupied, GRB!