by Ray Scanlon, YourPace Contributor

In today’s world, staying connected is more important than ever. Many people spend time apart from each other because of distance, a busy schedule, or possible health reasons. 
Thanks to technology, there are many fun virtual apps that let friends hang out, even when they are miles apart. Here are some of the best apps to help you and your friends stay connected. 
Zoom is one of the most popular apps for video calls today. Eric Yuan founded it in April 2011. Yuan said he wanted to create a more user-friendly platform. 
In January 2013, Zoom officially launched its platform, which has been growing steadily. It’s very convenient for almost any situation that requires face-to-face video calls. You can chat with a friend or have entire group meetings. It’s easy to use, and Zoom rooms can hold a lot of people at once. You can even change the background to something professional or funny. Whether you want to talk, watch a movie, or play a game, Zoom is a great choice.
Sydney Lewis, a 22-year-old marketing major at the University of Montevallo, Alabama, and hostess at Novi Vineyards & Winery said, “Zoom is becoming more of what everyone uses right now, so that’s currently my favorite one.” She uses Zoom to talk with people in her University of
Montevallo social club and online coaching related to her job at the winery. She commented on how easy it is to connect: “You just send the link, and all you have to do is click it to join the call.” 
Skype is another classic video calling app. It changed several hands and went through many different layouts before becoming the app we all are familiar with today. Microsoft eventually ended up with it to replace
their version, Windows Live Messenger. It’s what most people would have thought of if you had asked them about a video call 10 years ago, and it still holds up today, boasting 300 million active 
monthly users. It’s basic and user-friendly. You can make one-on-one calls with friends or have group meetings with coworkers. Skype also allows you to send instant messages and share files and photos, all while on a call. It’s been around for a while and is considered one of the
most reliable ways to connect with people. 
“Skype is all I’ve ever used. My job only requires me to do face-to-face sessions with one person at a time, so I stick to what I know,” Eliza Nabors, an administrator for the University of  Montevallo in Alabama, said.
Discord started as a place for gamers to communicate and collaborate, but it has become much more over time. Since its inception in 2015 by creators Jason Citron and Stanly Vishnevskiy, the platform has evolved from a simple place where gamers link up to a home for 
many. You can create your servers and invite your friends. You can chat through threads, messaging, or video calling. Some features like screen sharing let you view videos or even play video games from a console or PC together. Whether you’re into gaming or just 
hanging out, Discord has it all.
Elijah Mickle, an 18-year-old student at Montevallo studying graphic arts and design, said, “Discord is a place to hang out with my friends and play games.” He adds that Discord is mostly 
used by streamers and people who play video games.
If you enjoy watching shows and movies with your friends, Teleparty is the app for you. The app
lets you watch something simultaneously while chatting with friends in real-time. It was created in 2019 and started with only Netflix, but it has since taken on HBO, Hulu, Disney Plus, and more. 
With the Teleparty app, you can experience suspense and laughter together, just like movie night at home. It’s a great way to share your favorite films with friends and family who are far away.
Now that we know staying connected to the people we care about has never been easier, there’s no excuse for not hanging out anymore. With these apps, we can keep in touch with each other without ever leaving our homes, allowing us to focus on work or school so we can more easily balance responsibility and fun.