Here’s what some Western University students have to say about shifting to online social interaction and its influence on their relationships.

 

While the pandemic has forced nearly all relationships into the long-distance zone, communicating at a distance has felt daunting and challenging, according to some Western University students.

 

Concerns about the quality of communication and social interaction have surfaced nearly two years into the pandemic as some Western students believe communicating at a distance requires more time, interpretive attention, and effort to adapt to.

 

“It’s easy to misunderstand someone or take things out of context when communicating online,” said Alexa Lerion, a third year Medical Science student. “It’s hard to be there for someone and understand them when you’re not able to hear them out in person.” Lerion was responding to questions about her experience navigating about the parameters of online social communication, an adjustment that’s become a pandemic-induced normal for many around the world.

 

In an interview with four Western students, Rebecca Smith, a fourth year Business student, agreed with Lerion. She believes it's harder to make new friends online because reaching out requires more social courage than being forced to meet and interact with others in class and at social gatherings.

 

“The pandemic has made it harder to keep in touch with friends and grow my social circles. There’s more effort and consistency needed to preserve digital relationships,” Smith said in response to broader questions about the pandemic’s influence on sociability.

 

While people worldwide have had to adapt to using technology to keep in touch, phone anxiety and social anxiety were two effects experienced by all four interviewed Western students of the pandemic’s obligatory move to online only communication.

 

“When I’d feel lonely and want to talk to someone I haven't seen in a while, I’d feel scared to reach out over text.” Smith believes this anxiety influences the ability to develop meaningful connections on and offline.