COVID-19 has had a massive impact on all our lives. It has been a matter of life and death, which has forced the world into a kind of hibernation for the past seven months. It almost feels callous complaining about the many events that have been cancelled and opportunities missed.
Nonetheless, one moment which brought it all home to me was going through my calendar and deleting all upcoming events. I had been looking forward to a number of concerts, as well as some local park runs.
While this is nowhere near as bad as sickness and death, it has a very real impact on how we live. Pop culture and social events are often the highlights of our year. They are part of what make all the hard work worth it.
The good news is that over the course of the pandemic, people have found new ways of creating events that can be attended from afar. The following 3 types of events are still ongoing, and are more accessible than ever.
Gaming Events
One of the indirect consequences of people being home all day every day is that gamers have had a lot of time to play, and many others have found joy in gaming for the first time. Gaming is perfect for the pandemic. It is something most people do with other people from a distance.
There are of course gaming events that usually happen in person. But this year, it has not been difficult to take them online. Twitch hosts events every month, including community meetups and competitions. There have also been Xbox events, Red Bull events, and much more. Keep an eye out for gaming events, as there are few events better suited to go online.
If you love gaming, you should read more about how to use a VPN to get extra benefits and early access. It will keep you ahead of the rest.
Streaming Concerts
From the beginning of the pandemic, artists have been streaming themselves playing live. However, as the pandemic has dragged on, these live streams have progressed to full-blown events. Artists have found ways to allow for viewer engagement during events.
In other words, fans have never had as much impact on music events as they do now. There is no equivalent to seeing your favorite musician playing live in person. But musicians today are innovating, keeping the music industry alive in smart new ways.
Interviews, AMAs, Instagram Live
But music events don’t begin and end with the music alone. Many artists are taking the opportunity to get to know their fans better. They do this by giving live and interactive interviews, Reddit AMAs (Ask Me Anything), and by going live on social media.
A major artist going live on their Instagram and spending time with their fans, responding to comments, can be an event in itself. It is certainly better than simply tweeting at your favorite artist and hoping for a response.
Live events are not what they used to be. This will continue for the foreseeable future. But until they return, there are some great options to keep you engaged in the meantime.