LGBT Senior’s Tech Talk: Video Calling for People Who Hate Video Calling

Video Calling for People Who Hate Video Calling

I’ll admit to having come into the video calling age with great reluctance. I’m not really a video person to begin with – the idea of scrolling through video after video looking for more amusement just doesn’t appeal to me – and feeling forced to Zoom and Skype (before its demise) and Facetime and all of it was unpleasant. But COVID hit and isolation set it. Suddenly we were dragged into the world of telehealth calls and working from home if that was at all possible. Then I started offering writing workshops, and video became very important to me.

Now I Zoom frequently and like it. I record my weekly co-hosts Twist Podcast on Zoom, and I’ve conducted a number of workshops that way. Having people take a workshop when they live in California or Spain isn’t exactly doable without video.

A lot of us came to video calling late and under that kind of duress. Many of us are still not sure if it’s something we want to use to our benefit, or something to endure.

If you’re in the latter camp, here’s the thing — video calling is almost always awkward at first, and then it isn’t. The trick is lowering the barrier to entry as much as possible.

Start with FaceTime if you have an iPhone and so does the person you’re calling. It’s the simplest option — one button, no account required beyond your Apple ID, and the quality is excellent. For Android users, Google Meet comes pre-installed on most phones and works just as cleanly.

Zoom is worth learning if you want to join group calls or community events, which are increasingly hosted there. The free version is more than adequate for personal use. Download it, create a free account, and practice with a friend or family member before you need it for anything important.

A few things that make video calling easier: prop your phone or tablet up rather than holding it, so your hands are free and the camera is at eye level. Good lighting matters more than you’d think — face a window or a lamp rather than having light behind you. And don’t worry about looking directly at the camera. Most people look at the screen, which is fine.

The discomfort fades faster than you’d expect. And seeing someone’s face — really seeing it — turns out to matter more than most of us realized before we had to go without it.