Let’s be honest, we all enjoy a nose at what goes on in other people’s lives. Above all else, it’s a reassuring confirmation that what goes on in our own homes is normal, and at times like these, that can be the comforting hug we all need.
That's why new Instagram account The Social Distancing Project has become so popular. The account takes anonymous and candid confessions of everyday life in self-isolation, and shares it with the internet.
From the arguments between couples started over the smallest of things, to the touching moments that have brought families together, the account has shared more than 100 posts that are at once entertaining and mundane. The success comes from how relatable they are.
“Day three. My boyfriend got so angry at me for drinking a sip of his water that we got into a huge fight and I made him sleep outside in the car”, reads one post, liked almost 800 times.
“I’ve been alone so long I thought, ‘you know, we could really be friends’ after getting off the phone with my insurance agent,” reads another.
The account came about after writer Meg Zukin asked the internet to share any relationship drama brought about by the coronavirus outbreak.
if u live with a significant other and think all the co-quarantining will cause u to break up, email me at megzukin at gmail dot com. i’m not writing a story im just messy and love drama
— meg z (@bymeg) March 13, 2020
The response was so huge, that she put all accounts into one Google Doc and asked people for a small donation of $1 (Dh3.6) to view it. After raising $5,000 for food banks, housing support and Covid-19 relief, she made the website freely available, and started sharing excerpts on Instagram. The account now has more than 20,000 followers, and has raised a total of $9,000.
As the page has grown, submissions have evolved from detailing relationship drama to become a peek through the keyhole at all facets of life.
"I am 34 weeks pregnant and attempting to work from home with a 4 and 6-year-old. Today marked the beginning of our 'school at home' journey since schools are closed for at least two more months. Let’s just say there was a lot more Disney than common core happening today," reads a submission from a mother who speaks for many parents homeschooling right now.
Then there are the more candid confessions. "I haven’t spent this much time at home with my husband in five years. I have convinced myself that all of his farts are just my phone vibrating. It’s the only thing holding us together."
People can submit their own stories through the website, thesocialdistanceproject.org and browse through the hundreds of stories already sent in.
So next time someone in your family is driving you mad, or you just want a break from the coronavirus noise online, take a look through The Social Distance Project's Instagram account. You'll see we're all in the same boat.
