I've written plenty about The Sims; it once seemed on the verge of becoming a monthly feature. The similarity of pandemic life to the gameplay made me wonder recently - what from the game is helping me today?
The key insight is to take every opportunity to meet the social need. This is among eight equally important basic needs in the game, but the only one that cannot be met alone. If the social need is neglected for too long, the end result is personal ruin. I always managed a low social rating by stringing together every small moment - a hello to a passing neighbor, a quick word with a roommate, a short phone call. It never made for a healthy social life, but it was enough to keep me healthy, and enabled me to get on with the other relevant concerns in my isolation.
