Smiley woman watching a tv show on the laptop. Credit: Freepik
By Shenay Mbemba
They say when you’re in your twenties, you’ve got to ‘live it up’ and party. Right?
Homebodies; a term you’ve probably heard a lot of online in recent years but ever thought of why the word rolls off the tongue so often?
Picture the one friend who prefers to stay in, while their friends go out to enjoy the thrills of nightlife. Or the friend who gets more excited about the latest Fortnite video game update than the latest club opening.
What does this say about the future of London nightlife for younger adults? Perhaps it contributes to its decline lately.
The pandemic
London has seen a sharp decrease in nightlife activities since COVID-19. In August of last year, it was reported that London lost almost 100 late night clubs and bars since 2020, in a “huge blow to its reputation as a 24 hour city”, according to The Standard.
Historically, nightlife has been in decline around the world, ever since 2003 according to the New York Times. The amount of time people spent at home, on average, has increased by more than an hour and a half per day compared to 2004, it said.
Have homebodies taken the Covid warnings too literally? Credit: Freepik
“Regarding COVID, people are now aware of germs. We’re more aware of diseases. I feel like it’s always in the back of our minds in a public place. COVID made us more home-bodied,” said Gurkan Kilic, 32, who works at Holloway Food Express.
During the pandemic, nightlife virtually became unheard of. We all had to find our own ways to enjoy life, and simply pass time without face-to-face contact. Gaming, journaling or just doom-scrolling: you name it.
Online friendships
Video games are there whenever you want them. Usually enjoyed in the comfort of your home, they require no hassle to get dressed and look your best. Online gaming is the norm amongst gamers, some of whom leave the comfort of their own homes only to buy food. If they work remotely, as many now do, they may rarely change out of their pyjamas.
Hop into a video game with your online friends and it keeps the virtual connection strong, forming genuine bonds. What does it say when people would rather build friendships online as opposed to physical contact?
But Julie Vignoulle, a 22-year-old Twitch streamer known as Pointate, believes that gaming doesn’t stop people from enjoying nightlife.
“No, I don’t think it prevents people from going out, it’s just a choice of activity. Like you could hesitate between bowling and dancing in a nightclub. And you can make great friends and memories while playing online.”
Expanding on online friendships, Julie added, “These kind of friendships are very beneficial because you’re not judged by your style or what you look like, you can just be yourself and enjoy the moment while doing something you love. And making memories through a lot of different adventures in those games, builds strong friendship!”
Julie said that the homebody life isn’t for everyone. “But personally I do think that making a balance between outside life and home life is the best compromise, to get the full experience of our world.”
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