5 Types of Quarantine Friends — And How to Handle Them

Quarantine has completely changed how we relate to and connect with others. We’re meeting friends for virtual coffee, Netflix watching parties, and outside gatherings 6 feet apart.

You may have also noticed that distinct friend types have emerged in this time of isolation.

Here are four types of quarantine friends and tips on how to better relate to them.

The "Good Vibes Only" friend

The Good Vibes Only friend (GVO) expertly curates their lives to only include good news. They avoid anything negative or imperfect. They likely surround themselves with positive affirmations, self-care totems, and carefree activities. They likely also avoid anything related to Covid, scary news headlines, or elections.

Be there for them

This friend will celebrate your successes. They will ways be up for a fun activity or mood lift.

But be careful around this friend if you’re down and need a pick-me-up. They can be invalidating if you’re struggling and they tell you to “just be happy.” When this friend is down, let them know it’s okay for everything to not always be great or perfect.

The Doomscrolling friend

This friend is the opposite of GVO. The Doomscrolling friend is immersed in the news and up-to-date on every terrifying disaster or world event. This friend is the first to tell you their conspiracy theories or how the world is going up in flames.

Cope with them
A healthy dose of headline updates is critical, but too much can be detrimental. Take your doomscrolling friend in small doses. Plan activities together that don’t involve the news or can easily interrupt doomsday soliloquies. Set boundaries around doomsday talk — if it becomes too much, ask your friend to avoid politics or conspiracy theories when you’re together.

The Doer

This friend is bored. They’re constantly scouting out new things to do, which could mean playing Chip and Joanna Gaines or spending extra hours “at the office.” They probably started a side hustle or time-intensive hobby during quarantine.

Connect with them
Help this friend unplug. Do a “no technology" virtual friend date. You could also do something active like an outdoor walk that appeals to this friend’s need for productivity.

The Turtle/Wallflower/Introvert

This friend is always down to chill. They feel most comfortable in athleisure or sweatpants, and are happy to “do nothing.” If you want a low key day in, you know which friend to call!

Hangout with them
Like any other of the friendship types, downtime is really crucial, but too much downtime can tank your mood. When you hang out with this friend, have a hard stopping point. Schedule a non-negotiable time to go home or end the video call so that you can put a cap on your leisure time and avoid getting sucked into the Netflix black hole.

The Virtual Hugger

This friend represents the balance in all the friend types. The friend who can lift you up when you’re feeling down, without being invalidating. The friend who is updated on the news but doesn’t feel the need to constantly talk about it. And the friend who is down to be active or do nothing. This is the friend we all need during quarantine!

We’ve all changed how we relate to our environment in quarantine, which means our friends have to too. But don’t despair — you can relate to any friend, no matter what their type, with these tips.