I’ve been thinking A LOT about the movie Groundhog Day. Thanks to COVID, not only do I relate to Bill Murray’s character living the same day over and over, but I relate to a literal groundhog starting to emerge from its burrow after more than an entire year. (Because of the Delta variant, I'm emerging more cautiously, vaccinated, and still with a mask whenever indoors.) As appreciative as I am to be able to socialize again, I now feel trapped in a different type of Groundhog Day where I’m having the same pandemic-themed conversation with people over and over again.
Here are a few alternative questions to ask people about the last year and a half:
What games did you play during the pandemic that you loved?
● There were so many possible games to play with friends and family over Zoom. Did you enjoy playing a Jackbox game? Among Us? Virtual Cards Against Humanity? I think my favorite game at the height of the pandemic was a tie between Quiplash and the “Try Not to Accidentally Talk at the Same Time as Someone Else Over Zoom” game. However, I have recently been obsessed with Gartic Phone, a virtual version of the popular pen-and-paper game Telephone Pictionary. It will definitely be the game that gets me through the winter months, or whatever future lockdown or semi-lockdown may, unfortunately, lie ahead.
What were/are your 2020/2021 songs/anthems?
● For me, that song was Crazy Frog by Axel F. I thought that being able to imitate that crazy
little frog would be a fun party trick when the world re-opened, so I practiced singing along
religiously. Yes, I brainstormed party tricks as a coping mechanism, as a way to dream of
a world where there were parties again. Unfortunately, I still can’t nail the impression, so
only my cat will have had the privilege of hearing me belt “Ring ding ding daa baa baa aramba baa bom baa barooumba” at the top of my lungs.
What were/are some of your can't miss pandemic TV binges?
●I feel like the answer to this would be extremely illuminating. Are you a person who just watches one show, like The Office, on an endless loop? Are you a person who watches so many good shows in this golden age of television that your favorites list would be the length of a CVS receipt? Ask people about their favorite shows because maybe you’ll love some of them too!
And lastly, and most generationally controversial...
Are you on TikTok now? If yes, what “side” are you on?
● As a person who never thought I’d be on the app because it was for the “youths,” I was shocked when I became addicted to it last year. For those unaware, TikTok presents people with specific videos that match their interests on their “For You Page.” As a result, Tiktok is split into smaller subsections based on specific topics, and people end up on different “sides” of the app with others who have similar hobbies and interests. Are you on Alt TikTok, the side with more absurd or dark humor? Are you on Straight TikTok, the “mainstream” subsection with people doing TikTok dances? Sports TikTok? Political TikTok? Are you watching Nasty Surgery Videos like Dr. Pimple Popper? I am currently on “People Sharing Their Bad Encounters with Celebrities TikTok.” Yep. That’s a thing. If you need something to consume your time, I recommend downloading the app and waiting for your “For You Page” to actually be for you. If you don’t have time to waste, I recommend staying far, far, away.
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