September marks month 6 of quarantine and I’ve spent way too much time on Zoom.

I’m sure, just like me, a lot of you are running out of ways to be creative and do fun things with Zoom, so rather than reflect on my senior year (which, I’m still trying to ensure is not a simulation) or talk about my virtual summer yet, I thought I’d share my favorite virtual events I’ve attended so far.

Powerpoint Night

with my sorority, Alpha Omega Epsilon

Every member in attendance created a PowerPoint on a random topic (mine personally being “Hoodwinked, The Movie We Wish We All Forgot”) and presenting for 5 minutes on it. There were some truly bizarre themes throughout the night, and it was interesting to see where some of my friend’s minds went (like, cracking the genetic code to create unicorns, and an in-depth walkthrough of a niche phone app).

 

Pet Social

with my sorority, Alpha Omega Epsilon

We’re all stuck at home, but home is where the pets are. So for an hour on a Friday night, everyone got on a Zoom call and brought their pets on camera. A very wholesome experience.

 

Phone Scavenger Hunt

with the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists

Presented with a list of words, we all had 15 minutes to search through our camera rolls, find as many photos as we could that lined up, and send them to the organization’s email address. After this, we looked through some of the submissions and got to see some cute pets, good food, and fun nature photos from other organization members.

 

Speed Dating

with my sorority, Alpha Omega Epsilon

Zoom’s breakout room feature was especially fun for getting one-on-one time catching up with friends about their classes, summers, and whatever other topics the questions led us to.

 

It’s comforting to know that even in this time of physical distancing, a lot of organizations and groups on campus have found creative ways to stay engaged with one another. Since my college experience has been so dramatically shaped by my friends and the supportive communities I’m a part of, I am so glad that we’re all staying connected through Zoom and other virtual platforms. I’m excited about all the fun things being planned for the upcoming semester, including coffee chats with professors, resume swaps, game nights, virtual escape rooms, and more!

Christina Najm

Christina Najm

MAJOR: Environmental Engineering YEAR: Class of 2021 HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, California PRONOUNS: she/her/hers INSTA: @cnajm5 On campus I conducted undergraduate research in wastewater treatment technology through the environmental engineering department and am involved in Alpha Omega Epsilon (a social and professional sorority for women in STEM), the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, and the Society of Women Engineers.