Every day on Art&Seek, we’re talking to people who have tips for staying creative and calm. Share yours with us on Facebook, Instagram or @artandseek on Twitter. Click above to listen to KERA’s Rebekah Morr share her experience with Netflix parties with Nilufer Arsala.

Shelter-in-place orders across North Texas might make it tough to maintain a social life. But there is a party you can join while still social distancing: a Netflix party.

It’s less of a party and more of a way for a group of friends to watch their favorite Netflix shows and movies together from separate places using a Chrome browser extension.

Dallas resident Heather Nelson uses these “parties” to catch up with her best friend. Nelson’s been self-quarantining with her kindergartener for almost two weeks now.

She says it’s been tough being cooped up, but she understands why it’s necessary.

“We can’t just go out and do things, because otherwise there’s not going to be a world to go out to,” she says.

At the end of the day, after Nelson and her friend have put the kiddos to bed, they hunker down in front of their respective devices.

“Then we find a stand-up comedy that we’ve either watched so many times we can already quote it together or a new one that’s just come out.”

Nelson says they watch stand-ups because they could use a good laugh and reprieve from reality.

“Right now everything is pretty grim, and stand-up comedians have a way of finding the funny in even the darkest of times,” she said.

Netflix parties aren’t just a way to watch TV together. There’s also a messaging function that lets you chat with the group you’re “partying” with during the program.

It’s still not clear when local officials will give the okay to venture out for real parties. But in the meantime, Nelson hopes people follow guidance from local officials.

“Let’s just all stay home, so that we can come out on the other side of this together.”

And for your neighbor’s sake – don’t Netflix-party too loud.

How To Netflix-Party

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1. You and your friend(s) add the Netflix Party extension to your Chrome browser on your laptop or desktop computer.

2. Go to a video on Netflix. Click the red “NP” icon somewhere near your URL bar at the top of your browser.

3. Click “Start Party” and send the link that appears your friends.

4. Your friends can party with you by clicking the link you sent, which opens up the show or movie on Netflix, then clicking the red “NP” icon at the top of their browser.

— netflixparty.com

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