CSA Online by Andrew Moore-Crispin Fun Ways to Fight Zoom Fatigue I don’t know about you, but I’ve been experiencing some acute cabin fever as the pandemic wears on and on (and on and on). I’ve had about enough. Perhaps you’re nodding along. By now, you’ve probably gotten quite used to interacting on Zoom, Google Meet, Facetime, Skype or whatever your video-calling platform of choice may be. For snowbirds in particular, video-calling is a lifeline to the people who matter, pandemic or (hopefully sooner rather than later) not. That said, the video-calling thing has gotten a little tired, too. It’s great to keep in touch but, when we’re all stuck inside, there can be precious little to update others about. Our chats turn to the weather, home improvement projects, how tired we all are of this pandemic, how much we look forward to a day when we can go out to eat or just give someone a hug. With all that inmind, we’re going to look at a fewways to spice up our video calls to provide a little distraction; something to focus on and a chance to share some fun. Pub quiz Depending on who you’re meeting with, a pub quiz or other trivia event can be a fun way to keep things engaging. It gives everyone something to focus on and conversation will be a natural byproduct. A quick Google search for “pub quiz questions” will afford a wealth of questions which you can cobble together into a quiz. Likewise, searching for “pub quiz slide template” will give you a starting point, if you want to add a little visual interest to the presentation. Set some ground rules, such as how much time between questions, how the quiz will be scored, etc. To keep things simple, you can have people score their own quizzes… assuming, of course, that you’re dealing with a trustworthy bunch. If you want to get a little more advanced, use Google Forms (forms. google.com) to create an interactive quiz. Just google “Google Forms pub quiz” for some helpful how-tos. Not only does trivia give people on your call something to engage with, it’s a natural icebreaker and the conversation (including friendly disagreements) which the quiz inspires can continue long after the scores are in. Heads Up Heads Up is an app-based game and translates well from in-person play to playing on a video call. The only difference is that when playing in person you can pass one phone around, but when playing on a video call every household will need to have the app installed. If you’ve ever played Headbanz, it’s the same core concept. If not, the idea is that you have to guess a word that you can’t see based on hints from your teammates. In Heads Up, you get 60 seconds to guess as many as you can. When you get a word right, tilt the phone down to score a point and get a new word. To pass, tilt the phone up. Everyone gets a turn in the spotlight and it’s a great way to get everyone engaged and involved. It’s a simple concept and can be a lot of fun. Heads Up costs $0.99 on iPhone/iPad and is free for Android phones/tablets. Both versions will get you started with some included game packs. Free game packs are released every now and then and others can be purchased in-app individually, or in a discounted bundle. This game is suitable for every type of gathering; game packs range from the family-friendly to ribald. Choose carefully. 50 | www.snowbirds.org
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