That's not to say I don't enjoy an evening at home curled up with a good book, I do. I've also known to sit in the car for those precious extra five minutes of quiet on coming home from work before walking into the chaos that is the norm in a household of three children, eight cats, two rabbits and far too many noise-making toys and devices, but generally speaking, I like company.
I'm not alone in that either, human beings are social animals by nature, as noted by legendary Greek philosopher Aristotle. It's written into our DNA - like many creatures we instinctively know our survival relies on us being part of a group - just ask the unfortunate antelope that finds itself at the back of the herd when a hungry lion is roaming the savannah.
It isn't just slow antelope that can suffer dire consequences from being alone, recent scientific and medical research has shown loneliness can actually reduce our lifespan medically too, not just when lions are roaming.
Biologists have found feelings of loneliness trigger the release of stress hormones that are associated with higher blood pressure, decreased resistance to infection and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. So serious are the potential consequences of loneliness that the UK has had a government Minister for Loneliness since 2018 and Japan has had one since 2021.
So given that scientifically and philosophically speaking we are clearly born to be social, it's unsurprising many of us are finding the social restrictions in place to keep us safe from Covid-19 can be hard on us mentally.
Sports games aren't the same with reduced crowd numbers, social catch-ups feel less relaxed as we navigate masks, vaccine passes and other requirements, and celebrations can lose their sense of spontaneity or even fun at times.
However, unlike the antelope, whose only chance of improving their life expectancy is to run faster than their herd mates, we have plenty of tools at our disposal to counteract those feelings of loneliness or social isolation, no running required.
Many events and groups have moved into a virtual space, meaning you can log in and join a book club, a pub quiz, a church service or even a family reunion from anywhere in the world, while other organisers have found ways to adapt to the current requirements and still run slimmed down or alternative versions of the planned event.
While I am not suggesting a pub quiz is going to lower your blood pressure - in fact anyone who has ever joined me in a pub quiz knows just how heated a discussion on the correct name for the prongs on a fork can get (it's tines by the way) - I do believe we can take steps to combat the feelings of isolation many of us have experienced over the last two years.
Happiness is a choice, argued Aristotle, it's an activity rather than a state of mind. So I am seeking out the activities, events and social gatherings that are available in these Covid times, supporting the organisers and promoters of them as well as my own mental wellbeing.
There's plenty going on once you start looking and unless you are a platypus you are likely to benefit from the social connectivity they bring.
