This interview was conducted over a video chat between me and interviewee, hereby further referred to as NC.

NC: I’m going to a zoom party tonight. You wanna come?

Me: What’s that?

NC: A zoom party?

Me: Yeah

NC: It’s like a get-together or gathering of people, like a real party, except it’s all virtual through zoom. 

Me: Wait, but how does that work?

NC: Well basically someone hosts the meeting like hosting the party, invites all of their friends with the link and everyone can log on and talk or send chats, etc. It’s nothing like a real party but it’s still social interaction. 

Me: Cool, so do people get dressed up nicely like when they’re going to a party or is everyone still in pajamas and sweats?

NC: It depends who’s in the party. Like if it’s your close friends, everyone is just casual and in PJ’s but if it’s a big party with some people you don’t know you obviously don’t wanna look like shit on camera. 

Me: Ok, thanks.

Background: 

Interviewee is a friend of mine who has been picking up on a lot of slang from other friends and classmates. She is a senior at an East-Coast University, but has since moved back to the west since COVID-19.

Context:

This piece of folklore was collected during a video call between me and interviewee during the Coronavirus Pandemic. I have known the interviewee for many years, so the conversation was casual. 

Thoughts:

This is a new custom that has only begun because of the pandemic. Something like this, people meeting up online or even considering a “party” online would’ve been looked at as something almost uncool before the pandemic. However, now there is a big cultural shift into supporting and promoting technological meetups and even gaming. I think it is good that we are learning the possibilities of the tech world to bring us together and, maybe, we can change the way we socialize and interact from this.