Dinner parties are back. From March 2020 onwards, I have had my fair share of encounters with the barista replying “good thanks” when they ask if I’d like a lid on my coffee, or side stepping a metre to the right to have some personal space on a tram. Yes, I have emerged from lockdowns a little more socially awkward, following the pandemic spin that shocked us social serpents. The exhaustive Zoom trivia, adapting from a HayU binge to an hour stroll with a pal and even googling new conversation topics unrelated to COVID, I hold my hand up to confess I had to retrain myself in social scenarios.

Recently, I purchased a ticket to attend a dinner party where I knew no one. Why? Not because I’d struggle with assembling a MySpace top friends, but because I simply missed spontaneous activities and mingling with new personalities. Like the odd Contiki tour I used to dabble in, but for one night only and without the suspicious $2 shots.

Club Sup was founded on the idea to bring a sense of connection and community back after we endured months of lockdown in Melbourne, over some exquisite food and endless wine. Slithering up Smith Street in Collingwood on a bustling Thursday night via a tram, I was not at all nervous about dining with a table of strangers; perhaps it was the chilled sparkling wine waiting or the fact everyone was in the same boat. I could have gone down the route of pretending my name is Beryl who works as a town planner, however I genuinely was there to make some new connections rather than conduct my own social experiment. And also no one is called Beryl these days.

The scene was set in arguably the most aesthetically pleasing apartment I have ever seen, starting the evening off with sausage stuffed olives and cubes of pecorino, with a side of exchanging pleasantries. Sort of like a first date on the conversation front, but without assessing the marriage material. The liquor began to set in and I had created a mental Pinterest board dedicated to interiors, so it was time to be seated (see my cool pic). Normally this is where the anxiety would hit hard being assigned a seat, but I reminded myself to act normal and don’t be creepy. As our main of seafood arrived, the conversation levels were elevated and things were in full swing. The night had flown by extremely quick and by the time our dessert of meringue infused with honey had arrived, I was low-key a little sad the night was winding up.

From there, half of the table shimmied off down the road to the Collingwood Yards for a night cap. I was well into the groove of talking absolute smack and was pretty chuffed I had ticked a bar off my Northside list. The school night session came to a close as the bar was closing its doors, and we all agreed to meet up again another evening (after exchanging our Instagram handles, of course).

Upon waking up in a slightly dusty state, I was still riding the wave of adrenalin from the night before and was eager to tell my (pre-existing) friends about it. Not that I am trying to replace them or anything, as they understand that I like to do things that are a little different. This is of particular importance for me to keep sane when we are unable to travel, and I have that constant inability to sit still (anxiety hits different during a pandemic).

It is no secret that there has been a greater light shone on mental health benefits of regular socialising since the pandemic set in. Despite younger adults having a wider network of friends, research has also determined that they have experienced higher levels of loneliness due to this. Outlined in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2021), researchers found that increased social isolation is associated with decreased life satisfaction, greater levels of depression and lower levels of overall psychological wellbeing. Feelings of social connection and belonging are critical for life satisfaction in adults, negatively impacted by the importance of social distancing during the pandemic.

In addition, many of us are aware of the negative impacts social media can have on our mental health and although it has helped us to communicate throughout the pandemic, it can also be detrimental to our overall life satisfaction given that many around the world are exposed to various levels of freedom and travel (I personally am triggered by the NYC rooftop pics). We know for students, schooling and education is critical in developing social skills. An alarming 51.1% of respondents in a study conducted by the Children and Youth Services Review (2021) admitted that they had not been productive during lockdown, with their social interactions significantly affecting their health. From this, recommendations have been made to provide greater emotional support due to the increased depression and anxiety associated with the social distancing encouraged by health authorities. Intense exposure to social media whilst in lockdown has also led to heightened fear of the pandemic due to the widespread, unfiltered posts feeding the negativity in our brains, among the spread of misinformation or conspiracies which may intensify anxiety.

Attending an event outside your comfort zone can therefore reap a range of benefits. It may provide reassurance and eradicate any self-doubts or insecurities that may have crept up during lockdown; therefore, throwing yourself into the deep end after a relatively sheltered 12 months can be incredibly encouraging. I liken myself to be a delicate mix of an introvert meets extrovert, being a moderate hermit during the week before accumulating bulk Uber frequent flyer points over the weekend.

So although many of us may be emerging a little dusty on the social front, I strongly encourage you to delve into something outside your comfort zone to ease back into the groove of normality albeit at the humble dinner soiree.

Bon appetit.

https://clubsup.com.au/

Let's Do Dinner