Features and tips for hosting an online drinking party
COVID-19 has been spreading. Many companies are now shifting to remote work basis for their employees due to restrictions on going out and isolating them at their homes. Working remotely from home can be lonely for some of us. That’s why it’s significant to respect the culture of caring and set up informal online gatherings by using Zoom or Teams.
Recently more and more people use Zoom, not only for a web conference, but also to throw a drinking party. In IT industry of Japan, some people who occasionally used video conferencing services such as Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc to hold “online drinking parties”, but there were not many people who had actually tried it.
However, as the situation with the new coronavirus get worse, people are refraining from going out, and as opportunities to converse with people drastically decrease, many people are trying “online drinking parties” to relieve the stress of not communicating with coworkers and friends face-to-face. As a result, more and more people are finding it “pretty fun” and “better than real drinking parties”, and online drinking parties are spreading among those who think much of small talk as an effectively informal way to socialize.
So, in this article, I’ll write some features and tips about having an online drinking party.
Bring favorite food and drinks as you like
You will need drinks and snacks because it’s an online drinking party. But it’s different from a regular party because you prepare your own drinks and snacks. So you can participate freely with your favorite drinks and snacks. Even if you cannot drink any alcohol, it’s no problem to have a soft drink or a coffee. If you want to eat it from the beginning, you can have a big meal.
Get creative
The best feature of Zoom or Teams is the ability to add a custom background. It’ll be exciting to change your background to be a funny one. Plus, it’s easy to take advantage of the fact that you’re attending from home and put on a fancy costume that you can’t wear outside, or dress up in a very cool costume. It will inspire conversations.
One conversation group
In a real-world party, there tends to be small conversations with a few people even if there are many people attending. Attendees are divided into some small groups, that is natural. With Zoom or Teams, however, you can always have a conversation to share with everyone. No matter how many people there are, there is only one conversation group. That is an interesting point. You are all in the same conversation, so there’s a sense of togetherness with the memories of the party.
Interruption is welcome
You can participate in it even if you have any family member at home or even at room. Rather, you will be more than welcome when your family or pets get involved.
Since many people attend a party from home, you often see someone’s family members and pets on the screen during it. Even if that happens, the participants seem to enjoy the unexpected moment, like “My boss’s dog appeared, so I brought my own dog with me, and we had a pet show,” or “Grandpa in the next room sung a song to appeal to me. It was fun. We clapped together.”
As you can see, there are various features to enjoy at online party. But there are also points to be careful of.
Don’t steer the conversation, but include everyone
During online party, you might have a fear that the conversation wouldn’t flow and that there would be awkward periods when people weren’t talking to one another. Luckily, with enough people, someone will usually have something to keep the conversation going.
However, you may want to try and make sure everyone is included in that conversation, and nudge it toward one person or another if they had been quiet for a while.
Participants can excuse himself or herself for a moment
Maybe it’s a Japanese tendency, but some people find it difficult to excuse himself or herself for a minute during an online party because it feels like everyone is talking together. They might be also hesitant to go to the bathroom. It is important to let them know in advance that they can leave without hesitation when they leave.
Set the end time for the party in advance
Similarly to the previous point, since everyone is drinking at home, it’s not easy for some people to decide when to leave, and the party could go on much longer aimlessly. Setting the end time can lower the mental-barrier for people to leave when they leave.
Set the theme for the party in advance
It’s better to decide on a theme of the party and let people know about it beforehand. It is smooth for participants to have fun by matching background images or their outfits to the theme. And, it’s also good to propose chatting about topics such as “your favorite movies” prior to the start.
Respond to participant’s try
If you notice a background screen customized by a participant or an outlandish costume they are wearing, ask questions what it is. It’s significant to respond and keep everyone involved in a conversation.
Switch the views or presentations to create a party atmosphere
Effectively switch what is displayed on the screen to liven up the party. For example, create a sense of unity in the gallery view.
At times, it’s a good idea to just show the image of the bar as the main screen, so it looks like everyone gathers at a hidden bar. At other times, it’s also good to display images and videos of bonfires to forge the atmosphere of drinking deep in the mountain. By doing so, you can set a relaxing mood for drinking.
Now, it is a very tough time to all of us. Curfews, self-isolating requests, and urban blockades (lockdown) around the world are forcing many people to stay at home and work remotely. We have online drinking parties and informal online gatherings, and we hope to have fun, to create a culture of compassion and to connect and support each other to get through these difficult times together.
