You might think it’s just about causing chaos and killing people in the electrical room, but the latest quarantine hit game is more than that. There are actually plenty of life lessons from Among Us that can help us reflect on ourselves and our surroundings better.

What is Among Us?

For those living under a rock, Among Us is an online multiplayer game where you win by either being good at lying or good at putting puzzle pieces together. Imagine Mafia, Werewolf, or Avalon but with cuter avatars and mini-tasks to accomplish. Every round starts with the group of players being assigned one of two roles: crewmate or impostor.

A crewmate can win by either going around all the rooms in the spaceship finishing tasks, or voting out all the impostors on the ship. An impostor’s ultimate goal to kill the crewmates without being found out by the rest of the group.

When the dead body of an impostor’s victim is found, or an emergency meeting is called by a crewmate, everyone votes out someone whom they think is the impostor. So imagine all the finger-blaming and name-calling that ensues in a round of Among Us that creates a fun, wholesome bonding experience between you and your friends.

Alexa, play It Wasn’t Me by Shaggy.

But like we said, life lessons from Among Us are out and about when you take a step back from the game and absorb how it truly mirrors real life.

1. Working smart is better than working hard.

I’ve played countless games of Among Us, and not once have I experienced crewmates winning one just by finishing their tasks. The smarter play is to bide your time doing your tasks while constantly keeping an eye out for dead bodies lying around.

The faster you do your tasks, the higher the chances you’re going to get killed with the impostor searching every room for their next victim. Compare that to someone who is more slow and methodical with the tasks they do. Chances are, the more careful player will have a higher chance of coming out alive.

In real life, don’t be the crewmate who zooms through their everyday tasks without giving much thought on the bigger picture. Working hard can get you far, but it might not lead you to where you want to be. It can even get you killed if you’re not careful.

Take your time before anything else. Those who choose to work smart come out on top by exerting less effort.

2. You don’t win anything by being alone.

Ever tried to go Miss Independent on all your tasks only for the impostor to successfully pin the murder on you come voting time? We’re still holding bitter feelings because of that, tbh.

One of the best strategies is to do your tasks with someone you can “trust”. It does mean that you will have to put your game in someone else’s hands because they may very well be the impostor, but the benefits of having an ally far outweighs not having one.

You get an added layer of protection because most impostors wouldn’t have the guts to kill with somebody else in the room. More importantly, someone can vouch for you when voting time begins.

On the other hand, being alone doesn’t do you any good because it increases the risk of you either getting killed or voted out.

In real life, you will have to trust other people. You might have had bad experiences with some ex-friends who forced you to build impenetrable walls as a consequence of their actions. But one way or another, we will need to learn to let the right people in our lives. There are still solid friends out there who will be there to fight for us when everyone else wants our head on a stick.

3. Some things just trump logic.

Friendship ends when the emergency meeting button is pressed. Everyone is suddenly vulnerable with their guards up, trying to pin the blame on other people while getting all defensive.

While this may be a stressful time for those who remain in the game, those who are already dead get front row seats to an entertaining fight. And the greatest part of being dead is knowing how well or how terribly the impostor is lying to other players.

It is during these meetings where you really get to see how easy logic and the truth can get buried so easily.

In the early voting rounds, you’ll realize that the louder voice will almost always be the one that is followed by the whole group. No matter how well a person defends themselves with logic and facts, everyone else will probably still vote them out.

This example shows us one of life’s toughest pills to swallow: even if the truth is laid out for someone, they will choose to either go with their emotions or what the majority decides. A liar’s confidence is something that will trump logic… which is why we’re seeing too many smart people still getting into MLMs.

4. Being observant is so, so important.

One of the most vital life lessons from Among Us is to be observant of other people.

You have to watch them with intent — not in a creepy stalker kind of way, of course — but you always have to be mindful of their actions.

In the game, you’ll be able to figure out who the impostor is just by keeping track of who was with whom and being aware of who else was in the room. There’s nothing more frustrating than being in the same room when a murder happens, but forgetting who else was there with you.

When a meeting is called, you’ll be able to deduce suspicious behavior by the way other people chat. I play the game a lot with one of my friends who only points fingers when they’re the impostor. His “tell” took a while to figure out, but once I realized the difference in how he acted when given a certain role, it was easy to spot the times when he was lying.

Just being observant and mindful alone will get you far ahead in life.

For one, it helps you cut through other people’s bullshit. When I started to really watch how other people acted, I realized how powerful the act of observing truly is. One of the ways it has helped me as a shy introvert is by letting me know how to approach someone whom I have never talked to before.

And reading a room really helps you not look like a jackass.

5. Trust is tricky.

There are moments of betrayal and lies in the game that will make you question whether or not you can trust anyone ever again. But hey, things wouldn’t be as fun without those moments!

As much as we hate putting this as the last item in a list of life lessons from Among Us, it’s true that your closest friends can ultimately stab you in the back.

In the game, we see this when an impostor tags along with you while doing fake tasks and sabotaging the rest of the group. Just when you think you can trust them with all your heart, they can kill you just like that.

With the risk of bringing up some of your childhood trauma, most of us have probably experienced being made fun of by a so-called friend behind our backs. The moment we realized that they’re not our real friend is a painful memory to relive.

While being treated like trash in front of your face is one thing, a stab in the back by someone you trust is just a whole ‘nother level of hurt.

On the bright side, we can always make room for someone to earn our trust back when we’re ready to forgive. We can always press the “Play Again” button in life; we’ll just have to see their actions to truly determine whether or not they are worthy of it again.

Have you learned life lessons from Among Us, too? Share them with us in the comments below! If you loved this article, then you’ll probably love the other advice we have for you here.

Never miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Gen Z communication has been evolving because of this pandemic for better or for worse. Keyboard smashes, seenzoning, and oversocializing are all fair game now.

Even if most of our interactions now happen through Zoom, there are so many cues, verbal and non-verbal, that tells us about zoomers’ state of mind during the pandemic. These reflect in the way we speak which has slowly been changing more and more as we continue to be trapped in a world of self-isolation.

Not replying is now okay.

And it’s not only okay, it’s encouraged. Even before the pandemic hit, I’ve always had a reputation of not replying quickly enough to my friends because most of the time, I’m just not in the mood to. And the reality now is that a lot of people are starting to feel the same way.

Are you not feeling well enough to talk? Then don’t reply.

More often than not, people will understand. You’d get a lot of flack before when you wouldn’t reply to people or read their messages at all. But everyone is now becoming more sensitive of each other’s feelings as we all start to feel anxiety and uncertainty more often.

Now, the first thought that pops into our head when we encounter a slow replier isn’t how rude they’re being, but rather “I hope they’re okay”. Which is a good thing because everyone is finally understanding that just because you’re online does not mean you are always in the right disposition to talk.

We make a conversation out of anything.

Everyone’s lives has either been on pause or on slow motion ever since coronavirus hit. While we are trying our hardest to make memories in our homes, it’s safe to say that the progress in our lives has taken a big hit with the outside world being close to inaccessible.

This means that Gen Z communication is becoming more and more mundane as we struggle to create meaningful experiences. And because of that, we are running out of valuable material to go through with friends.

I want you to take a look at your recent conversations with friends and then ask yourself: what are you really talking about? Everything is becoming water-cooler conversations nowadays like the NBA Playoffs and what k-drama you’re watching. Some of the most memorable conversations I’ve had with people during quarantine involve skincare routines, and I don’t know how to feel about that.

And when asking someone how they are, they’d probably just give you the same tired answer: “just stuck in the house”.

For the sake of our sanity, we do make an effort to socialize with our loved ones. But we don’t really have anything substantial or new to talk about most of the time leading us to talk about things that don’t matter a lot. This is a challenge to you: why not go beyond pop culture or funny banter and get to know your friends a little bit deeper?

It’s easier to talk to old friends and strangers.

Even the most introverted of us are reaching out to people whom we never thought we’d be in contact with again. Being stuck at home means everyone has more time on their hands to scroll through their social media feeds, which means you’ll probably see more of your acquaintances interact with the posts that you share. Whether it be a like or a comment, everyone is craving for social interaction.

So when the conversations with your best friends are becoming stale, you might see yourself striking a conversation with someone whom you haven’t talked to in a long while. Maybe it was a person you met pre-COVID and never got the chance to interact with on a deeper level. Or maybe it’s a good friend from high school that disappeared in your life after graduation.

The crazy part is they’ll probably be up to talk to you too. Just watch as they reply with the same excitement that you have! While some people may not be up for a conversation all the time, this is the best time to talk with practically anybody. Why? Because a simple gesture like leaving a message in their DM’s will make them feel like they are not alone in this pandemic.

Overcommunication is real.

Ironically, the same people who want to be left alone in this pandemic are the ones who talk a lot too. Similar to how we may experience mood swings during the pandemic, our willingness to talk also flip flops. Gen Z communication is now defined by a neverending stop-and-go seesaw battle where one may just choose to spend the entire night chatting with people, or hiding from the online world.

What triggers this tendency to flip flop?

The first one is guilt. At times when we’re not in the frame of mind to have a conversation with people, we may feel bad for leaving them hanging. So when the time comes when we’re finally in the mood to reply, we may tend to start bombing their inbox with messages.

Aside from that, overcommunication is also a coping mechanism for those who need a sense of “normalcy” in their lives. Talking with people face-to-face is something everybody took for granted until the pandemic started. By starting conversations with others during quarantine, we are putting ourselves back in a mentally comfortable place where everything feels normal again.

And in addition to that, having a chat with someone is a great distraction from whatever hell is happening outside. Our overthinking may kick in the moment we are left alone with our thoughts.

We’ve forgotten how to communicate properly.

Gen Z communication was always weird in the eyes of older people. We could be typing gibberish and it would be sensible and funny to only us. So imagine doing most of your communication online with friends who all type weird like you.

As a reference, most of my conversations with fellow zoomers are just filled with keyboard smashes and all the synonyms to “lol” that you could think of. If we’re not doing any of those, we’re probably just using one of the reactions in Facebook Messenger or finding the perfect GIF/meme to use as a reply. It was perfectly fine before COVID hit because we complemented this form of communication with real-life, socially-acceptable interactions.

Now that most of us have not been able to go out to meet friends nor an authority figure (who is not our parent), we are forgetting what it’s like to talk like a functioning human being. The first wave of job interviews and online classes would probably be difficult for zoomers who have gotten used to light conversations that don’t require proper decorum.

When was the last time you were actually able to sustain a conversation with someone who required your full respect and courtesy? Zoomers now face the challenge of training or re-training themselves in the art of communication which has been getting more muddled as we spend more days in the pandemic.

Coronavirus has affected everything in our lives including our mental health. We have some tips that can help you cope with online classes. Never miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Featured Image: Edward Janner on Pexels

The post How COVID-19 is Changing The Way Gen Z Communicates appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

If you asked me who I was at the start of the year when we were living life like it was meant to be lived, I couldn’t tell you.

That person in the chilly evenings of January is nothing now but a shell of myself.  It was laughable— the way I let the world bully me into submission.  The earth treated me like I was some sort of victim that it could just toy around with.

And I didn’t just let it happen, I allowed it.

It was March when the news trickled in about the big hairy enemy we’re still facing to this day: coronavirus.

I remember reading about lockdowns and cases spiking and just being in awe of the whole thing. It never occurred to me, the gravity of it all. The pandemic was nothing but a novelty that would go away after two months at most.

I didn’t realize how much it would shake up the world.

So much that even the pavement I used to walk on Marcos Highway feels so foreign to me now. How something as mundane as picking vegetables in the grocery has become deplorable. But the biggest surprise was how much it would shake me up.

Early in the year, I let the world bully me into submission.

It was April and I felt my mind going to dark places.

I mean, it was nothing new but there was nothing to look forward to when I woke up in the morning. Who are we to turn to when the people who are supposed to help are the ones tightening the rope around our neck?

I had already carved a path in my head on how I was gonna be standing in the sun at the end of it all. But the days have been anything but sunny and breezy. Every day, it seems like there’s a new reason to be furious at Him. I was never a religious person but I always made it a point to be thankful and pray before going to sleep.

How was I going to do that when people around me were dying?

People who were nicer, people who had mouths to feed, and people who were never given a fair chance at life?

I wish I’d wake up one day to my privilege being stolen from me, by a thief in the night who had no choice to do it if he wanted his baby to live. Like some sort of Robin Hood who steals privilege but has good intentions.

It was May, and the world was still burning.

Everything in its path caught on fire, and the firemen have given up trying to put it out. Instead, they kept asking for money from other grander and richer fire stations. Not to get more fire trucks or fire hoses mind you, but to dine in Michelin-star restaurants.

When you’ve boxed yourself in as a victim for so long in your life, it’s hard to get out. At some point though, by hook or by crook, you are going to break. There wasn’t really anything that triggered me, but rather a series of small events.

Early in the year, I let the world bully me into submission. But I’ve had enough.  

Locked in the house for days, I was seated with people who didn’t care. It’s hard to have the mind of a young dreamer when you’re surrounded by those who only got furious about how undercooked or overcooked the food on the table was. They didn’t even give a damn that the unlucky ones didn’t have food… or a table.

My dignity? I never had it.

Their respect? I don’t want it.

Peace? Not with rich people who only cared about rich problems.

It was June, and I only found myself getting angrier.

The world wasn’t the one pushing me around anymore, but a bunch of armed old men who got off on inciting fear. And somewhere along the way, I started the discovery process of my identity as a brown man.

Even when George Floyd and Breonna Taylor lived a million miles away, the pain was felt strongly in my heart.

But I knew that anger alone wasn’t healthy for me. It was so unlike me.

That’s when I rediscovered my passion for writing.

And through the things I wrote, I was able to convey my thoughts as articulately as I could. I was and am not a writer by any means because that sounds too pretentious a term for someone who just needs an emotional outlet.

It was July and I felt the anger inside me start to go to my brain, and not my heart like it used to.

When I said something, it was because I knew I had a point. I was becoming more confident and sure, and I knew that I didn’t need to apologize for anything I said because I meant it.

They saw shades of the angry brown boy who spoke too much about politics on Twitter. I wasn’t gonna give them an out by keeping quiet on their problematic rhetoric like I used to.

If there’s anything I learned throughout this hellish year, it’s that being outspoken takes you places, takes you there quicker. I did catch myself wondering “what the hell did I just say” too many times than I can count.

Sometimes I feel like I’ve become too fearless for my own good.

And sometimes, I feel like I’ve become too mean. But I tell myself that the anger I feel is justified.

In any case, if God forbid I regret the person I’ve grown up to be, I can always blame it on the pandemic.

Loved this article? Continue to delve into zoomers’ state of mind here. Never miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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In the next few weeks, high schools and colleges will be welcoming a new school year. That means some of us will be taking our classes virtually in our homes until the pandemic subside. Fortunately or unfortunately, the effects of online classes in the Philippines will be felt by every student who has already enrolled for the upcoming semester.

Here’s our list of painful reminders that the school year just won’t be the same due to the new normal.

Are you one of the people who’s always willing to go out in between or after classes? Unfortunately, you can kiss your kaladkarin self a temporary goodbye. Eating out, buying milk tea, and getting cocktail pitchers together with friends are just some of the things you’ll be missing in the coming months.

While we’re locked up at home, it’s easy to see how much we took those simple moments for granted. And with online classes, we’re just going to miss our friends even more! How much longer can we survive without physically seeing them?

Let’s be real: online classes are just like the online courses you take in Coursera. Aside from a Zoom lecture from your professor, you’ll probably just end up watching videos and reading white papers online to understand the lesson.

Gone are the days of in-classroom activities that have you presenting a Manila paper or a silly little skit with other people. I mean we probably hated doing those things back then, but right now, we are begging for those days to come back.

With that said, we’re challenging teachers to come up with exciting ways to engage students in their online classes. Because of your employers, most of us paid full-price tuition this year no matter how unfair it is. So please don’t make us feel like we could have gotten higher-quality education from a free online course instead.

The first few months of quarantine have already taken such a heavy toll on our mental health. It’s difficult to concentrate on studying when there are so many trashy things happening outside our homes. I think students who were forced to take online classes before the previous school year had ended could attest to the fact.

At the start of quarantine, we’ve come up with creative ways to cope with the pandemic like making dalgona coffee or baking something trendy in the kitchen. But going through a robotic five-day school week without anything else to do can make us go crazy.

If you ever feel this way during the year, make sure to take a mental break! To help you, we have some tips on how you can mentally survive online classes.

Not everyone has the same privileges that you enjoy. The fact that you’re able to read this article on a phone connected to your home wi-fi network means that you are already privileged!

One of the effects of online classes in the Philippines is that it will become much more obvious how every student has unequal opportunities given to them. For example, you will have classmates who just can’t be online all the time because of financial or emotional setbacks.

And for you, that means practicing patience and empathy during times where someone’s lack of privilege hinders them from performing well.

Literally everybody is adjusting to the pandemic so the least you could do is avoid being an added burden to anyone.

Aside from acads, schools are a place for students with common interests to come together in the form of extracurricular activities. It’s not only teachers who have to adjust to the virtual set-up, but student leaders as well.

These clubs have to get really creative with how they do things. For example, it will be interesting how an org that revolves around team sports is going to operate, as opposed to an org that revolves around discussing films.

To the student leaders, it’s important to realize the potential your club can offer to its members as an escape from the mundanity of online classes. Those who will constantly find ways to keep the whole club together will stand out from the rest of the pack.

But honestly though, don’t take your responsibilities too seriously; we’re in the middle of a pandemic.

Everyone knows that the best part of going back to school is finding new crushable classmates on the first day! While this joy is not completely taken away from us during the pandemic, it will be way more difficult.

Aside from the fact that it will take some added skill and determination to get your crush to notice you, Zoom isn’t really a great way to truly determine if one is cute or not. I mean, I’m just being honest here.

You can’t even sit next to them to start a conversation anymore. All you have in your back pocket is the courage to chat up a cute classmate — someone whom you only met through an online class. Tinder is shaking.

But you know what, we are zoomers after all. If there’s someone we want to flirt with, we will make a way!

We can’t talk about the effects of online classes in the Philippines without addressing the recess and lunch situation. Whether you’re in high school or college, it’s always the most exciting part of the day!

For high school students who rely on cafeteria food, this may come as a positive thing if they never liked eating them in the first place. But I’m sure you’re going to miss at least one particular food stall, snack or drink that only your cafeteria can provide.

For college students, just imagine all your favorite restaurants and in-school food stalls that you won’t be able to buy from for some time. Additionally, food trips will temporarily be a thing of the past too.

Home-cooked food will be what the foreseeable future has in store for you which actually might not be a bad thing. In fact, it’s one of our six useful tips to help you (and your family) save up on some money.

And speaking of…

Say goodbye to your baon? It’s time to have that difficult conversation with mom and dad about whether or not you should be given allowance while classes take place remotely.

We know it sucks in all fronts, but we have to give it up to our parents who are working extremely hard to send us to online school in the first place. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s the poor handling of coronavirus in the country & schools making us pay full tuition.

But going back, just be prepared to hear the bad news. You will probably not get as large an allowance as you once did… dun dun dun.

When it comes to online classes, everybody is still dipping their toes in the water. Some will adjust faster, and some won’t.

One thing’s fore sure though: people will find it difficult to understand your choices which means you will have to justify yourself all the time. So just take a deep breath, and don’t let it get to your head.

There will be times when your parents will nag at you because they won’t understand how difficult online classes really are. Or maybe you’re the classmate who can’t go online for a group meeting because your internet is unstable. Or maybe, you’ll have to tell your teacher why it was imperative for your mental health to take a day off.

Or you know, you could be this girl who had to beg her teacher to retake a test because of an honest “meatball accident”.

If writing about the effects of online classes in the Philippines made me feel anything, it’s that school really is our second home. It’s so important that literally all aspects of our lives have been affected because of the shift to online classes.

While we’re thankful that we are able to enroll in them, it’s a shame that quality of education and the entire student experience have to suffer because of it. And that’s just one of the many issues that online classes present.

For all the students out there entering this unique situation soon, I hope this article has helped you mentally and emotionally prepare for the months to come.

What do you foresee will be a problem for you as a student because of the shift to online classes? Let us know in the comments below! Don’t forget to follow us @ZoomersCornerPH on Twitter to keep yourself updated on all things zoomer-related.

The post 9 Ways the New School Year Will Hit Different Because of Online Classes appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Is it okay to go outside? Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you know that coronavirus cases have been rising exponentially in the Philippines. Hospitals are once again reaching full capacity, and the end is nowhere in sight.

So it’s a bit troubling to watch people on their IG Stories live life like there’s no pandemic going on. While we continue to hold the government accountable, I think we should also acknowledge our own role in improving the state of our country.

The Problem with Instagram Stories

Let’s address the elephant in the room. I look at my IG Stories, and it’s crazy how the people who claim to miss the pre-coronavirus world so much are the ones who have been incessantly going out too. Don’t get it twisted: I said incessantly.

And to unapologetically post videos of themselves in such a public platform too… like, are they trying to get themselves cancelled?

I’m of course, not talking about those who have to leave their house for essential errands. Nor am I talking about going on a quick drive to do something then returning home immediately. Nor the people going on protests!

My issue is with the people who are physically with their friends every day and clearly not observing social distancing outside of their house!

To these people: I’m all about giving zero fucks what other people think, but you have to know why it’s infuriating for your friends who watch your stories, right?

I feel like you’re smart enough and have a big brain on you.

So when the thought came across your mind that you might get flack for posting said story, I wonder why you still chose to do it anyway.

Was there a disconnect between your brain and your finger? Do you just like annoying people? I just want to know the thinking process behind it!

Posting on IG isn’t the bigger issue here, but I would be lying if I said seeing these stories aren’t a little bit triggering.

There are what we call finsta accounts, so if you want to shut up people like me or avoid judgement from your friends, maybe it’s better if you post everything there.

If you’re bored, be thankful.

It would be good to remind everyone that being bored does not mean it is okay to go outside. Out of all the reasons you could have for leaving the house, this is probably the worst one.

I guess it’s just frustrating because there are people risking their lives every day to go to work and place food in their table. They either put up with the hellish commute every day or are always in physical contact with others. If given a choice, they would most probably choose to be bored at home rather than putting their loved ones and themselves at risk.

Boredom is a privilege that you should be thankful to have, because some Filipinos would kill to have it.

I can’t tell you how to live your life. but if you’re privileged enough to live in a house that has food, internet, a bed, and a shower all shouldered by your parents, then please just stay at home. You have everything you need and more!

I’m not even asking you to avoid the outside world completely because frankly, that’s impossible. Just don’t go out pretending like the virus doesn’t exist.

When can I go out?

While every person has a different take on what is “acceptable” behavior nowadays, I think we can all agree on some things that determine wheter or not it’s okay to go outside. Like for one, you start to cross the line of being irresponsible when you go out every single day doing things that you can live without.

Then there are the idiots who refuse to wear face masks, which I don’t see much of in the Philippines thankfully.

Going to your friend’s house? Definitely better than dining out with them.

By no means am I an expert on this topic, so I’m not even gonna impose my beliefs on when it is okay for you to go out. But it would be good to set your own rules that you yourself should stick to. When you do this, you can hold yourself accountable and not end up a hypocrite.

For example, here are the personal guidelines that I stick to when deciding if I should leave the house to do something:

If the answer to any of my questions is a yes, then I simply don’t go out. By having this list in my mind, I am able to hold myself back from making irresponsible trips that could put other people in danger.

Now I want to ask you: what’s on your list?

To sum up how you should act during the pandemic, just remember to always practice sensitivity. I’d just like to remind everyone that you can unknowingly be a bringer of the virus and harm somebody without meaning to. And we definitely don’t need to see you going against quarantine protocols on Insta every day.

It is also important to note that it is okay to go outside the house.

But keep your loved ones safe by reducing the time you spend needlessly going on dates with friends. And when you go out, please be responsible and cautious.

Rule of thumb: if you have to think about whether going somewhere is okay or not, then it’s probably not okay. The fact that you had to pause and ask yourself if it is okay to go outside means that it’s not necessary for you to do so.

You’re a zoomer; you already know what you’re supposed to do so just avoid being a stubborn piece of work.

What do you think are acceptable reasons to go out of the house during the pandemic? Share your answer in the comments below! Don’t forget to follow us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Want to hear more hot takes from zoomers? Click here to read more!

Featured Image: Ana Madeleine on Pexels

The post Why People are Judging You Because of Your IG Stories During COVID-19 appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Zoom in the Philippines is just a whole ‘nother ballgame. Having group calls and e-numans through the video-conferencing app has been a staple in our lives under quarantine.

In fact, we’ve used it so much the past months that we could lump all your friends and colleagues into one of these ten stereotypes, depending on how you act in a Zoom room. The question is: which one are you?

1. The Local Channel Watcher

There’s always that friend who’s on the call with their TV turned on in the background. And for some reason, it’s always tuned in at a time when news are on.

Then there are also times when you’d hear something religious blaring from the TV, like a priest celebrating Mass or reciting a prayer. Definitely not a good time to be talking about sex in your call.

2. The Virtual Background Enthusiast

This person likes to change their Zoom backgrounds to get some laughs in the meeting room. Or maybe it’s just a manifestation of their inner fear of being stuck indoors forever. Probably that.

The Virtual Background Enthusiast is also the person in the call who’s obsessed with dank memes. It’s just the law of nature.

3. The Tita Photobomber Victim

When taking your calls in a shared space, it’s inevitable that somebody pops up in your background… like your mom. However, the Tita Photobomber Victim’s mother just doesn’t care if the others see her in her pambahay clothes, gingerly doing house chores in her leisure time.

Tita will even initiate conversations with her “victim” while the call is ongoing. She just doesn’t give a damn!

One thing’s for sure though: Zoom in the Philippines is definitely more entertaining with her around.

4. The Epitome of “Go Girl, Give Us Nothing”

They’re the person who barely gets a word in throughout the entire meeting. Maybe they’re not fond of online interaction, maybe they’re tired, or maybe they’re just really shy.

But hey, if you look at them once in a while, you’ll see them laughing along with everyone else. It’s a sign that their soul hasn’t been thoroughly sucked out yet!

5. The Chaotic Host

Joseph Stalin, who? Great dictators from history got nothing on this one. Be careful which person you give hosting powers to, because if they end up in the wrong hands, it will be pure chaos!

Nicknames will be changed, participants will be muted, and yes, people will get kicked out.

6. The Electric Fan King/Queen

Ah yes, probably everyone’s favorite person in the Zoom room. The extreme heat means everyone has to turn on their electric fan to get some of that cold air. But no one, and we mean no one, wants to hear that buzzing sound in their ears.

Raise your hand if you’re the bitch who calls out someone when their electric fan is being too loud in a call. I just did.

7. The Pet Show-off

There will come a time when somebody’s dog or cat “accidentally” enters the frame. And I placed that in quotation marks because they’re not fooling anyone, we know this person just wants to show everybody how cute their pet is!

So this is what always happens in this situation: the whole conversation stops as the person expresses (fake) surprise that their pet is suddenly on their lap, everyone stops for fifteen seconds to go gaga over it, some small talk ensues about something “crazy” that the pet did recently, and then everybody carries on with the previous conversation.

8. The Camera-Conscious

This person just isn’t used to being on-cam like us famous stars; they can’t go a minute without touching their hair and face!

Practicing their angles and poses for the gram is how they pass time when they’re on mute. Somebody has to tell them that this is definitely “America’s Next Best Friend”, and not America’s Next Top Model.

9. The Choppy Magician

You know what makes Zoom in the Philippines so different? Our extremely slow internet! I can count in one hand the number of times I’ve been in a call where nobody got disconnected because of extremely abysmal internet.

This person could be saying the most melancholic heartfelt words on earth then suddenly get cut off mid-sentence. Or worse, disappear.

And then reappear… just to disappear again.

They probably hear “ano raw?” and “choppy ka” a lot in these calls. Those words are music to their ears. And when they see that their internet connection is unstable, they’re secretly praying that their video didn’t freeze at a time that made them look like a dumbass.

10. The Skincare Routine Girl

Never watched a beauty vlog in your entire life? Well don’t worry, because this person has you covered.

They’ll do their entire ten-step skincare routine on camera for everyone to watch, not realizing that the oils and product that they put on their face makes them look ridiculous. Or they do, but they just don’t care.

Isn’t Zoom in the Philippines just so colorful? Kidding aside, having an avenue to connect with each other during this pandemic really helps with our sanity. And having all these personalities come together in one virtual room helps the party get started!

So no matter what you’re like in Zoom, we’re happy that you exist. Even you Electric Fan Kings!

Who did we miss out on our list? Leave a comment below!

Having e-numans and Zoom calls are just a few items on our quarantine bucket list that we’ve crossed off. How about you? Take this fun quiz to find out! Don’t forget to follow us @ZoomersCornerPH on Twitter for more entertaining content.

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Looking to take more quizzes during quarantine? Take this one to find out how many “quarantine bucket list” items you have already done!

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Is love in quarantine even real or is everything just a quaranfling? Dating during coronavirus in the Philippines has been one giant obstacle for us singles since we’ve decided to lock ourselves at home.

Even if we wanted to put ourselves out there, it’s become such a challenge to meet new people in these times. And when you do get past the hurdle of having an actual physical date with someone, more challenges you if you want to maintain those relationships.

However, just like the rest of the world, single people have been making ways to adjust to the pandemic. So how exactly has the dating and hookup game changed after more than 100 days in quarantine?

1. Dating apps are becoming a hot commodity.

Since people have been ordered to stay at home, there has been an incessant use of the three dating app giants: Tinder, Bumble & Grindr. In March, Tinder was the highest-grossing app in the world, while Bumble has been seeing lengthier, higher-quality conversations among its users. As a free gift during quarantine, some of these apps have even offered the feature of talking with people from other countries.

Seriously though, how are you going to meet new people the “old-fashioned” way? I can already imagine us zoomers telling our kids how we met our spouses through Tinder during the whole pandemic. That’s gonna be quite the story, isn’t it?

2. You’re forced to be sure about someone.

Dating during coronavirus means having to only meet someone in person when you really need to. I mean, do you really want to risk getting Ms. Rona from a date with a rando that you’re gonna forget about the next day?

While hookups are a totally different ballgame, a person looking for something serious may only want to meet with you if you’re worth the risk. So take it as a compliment when someone asks you out during this time. There’s a chance they’re doing it because they see potential in you as a serious partner.

Or they’re just lonely and need physical touch. That’s a possiblity, too.

3. Netflix and chill has never been more real.

What would your ideal first date be: a picnic in the park, a fancy restaurant, or a trip to the movies? Too bad, ’cause you’re probably just gonna have yours at each other’s places.

This spells disaster for Filipinos where it’s commonplace to stay under your parents’ roof ’til you’re married. There’s also the tiny problem of not being able to run away when the date is going terribly.

But on the other hand, things can become more intimate when you’re just chilling and enjoying each other’s company. Maybe a Netflix and chill date isn’t as bad as you think it is!

… We’ll let you decide what “Netflix and chill” means.

4. Gift-giving is a must.

So the first date went perfectly, but you don’t want to risk getting the virus again. You’re also tired of saying sweet nothings to each other through text. For the older zoomers, maybe you’ve had virtual sex already.

How else do you express your affection but by sending them care packages through Lalamove? Or surprising someone with a treat from GrabFood?

It’s such a lovely gesture to give gifts in an anxiety-inducing time. No matter what you decide to send over to someone, I’m sure they’ll appreciate it a lot.

On that note, we want to express our utmost support and gratitude to the deliverymen who go out there every day being a messenger of love. Tip them handsomely, kids!

5. There’s more paranoia than ever.

Do you know how sometimes a person you meet through Tinder just seems too good to be true?

Well imagine that feeling on top of the thought that they’re just using you to pass boredom. Doubting someone’s true intentions and honesty is probably a dating trend that will continue during these times.

Always make sure you’re cautious of the people you meet online. They might just like the feeling you give them, but they may not necessarily like you.

6. People have become more clingy.

Who knew online dating could be so high-maintenance?

Don’t be surprised if someone seems overly excited to interact with you. With everyone being apart from their friends and family for so long, dating during coronavirus has become a playground for separation anxiety.

This pandemic has already taken a lot from us, so excuse us if we’re a little pushy and clingy and never want the conversation to end.

7. Ghosting is easier.

If you want to try dating during coronavirus, then you better emotionally prepare yourself. Unfortunately, getting ghosted has become a stronger possibility in these times.

Think about it: it’s easier to leave somebody hanging and ignore them forever when it’s become more difficult to physically meet up with each other. Also, with there being more users on these apps, who’s to say that you’re not just another replaceable number for somebody?

It all ties back to the fact that some people right now just want to flirt and go on virtual dates for fun. Nothing more.

This spells trouble for those who are looking to find real romantic partners. One day, you might be thinking of taking the next step with a person but then, they’ll never ever reply back to you again. Like, ever.

So to all my ghosters reading this, please grow up and face the music. Behind the screen, there’s a real person with real feelings. Everyone is more anxious these days, so you’re actually harming someone’s mental disposition and emotional confidence when you ghost them.

We know we kind of ended the article on a sad note. But if you have the self-esteem for it, we don’t see why you shouldn’t try out dating during coronavirus!

And if you’re one of the lucky birds who has had a successful love story during these times, we want to hear you out in the comments. Same goes for the people who want to share their thoughts or own (failed) experiences!

Dating can be a coping mechanism for Filipinos not only because of the pandemic, but because the government decided some things are more important than coronavirus. Read more now!

Featured Image: cottonbro on Pexels

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Apparently, there are some things that are more important than a deadly virus with no cure. It’s just corona after all. To say that the average Filipino has been completely disappointed with how coronavirus in the Philippines has been addressed is an understatement. It’s become the “new normal” to wake up every morning to bad news. And BTW, we are far, far away from flattening the curve.

1. Anti-Terror Bill

Let’s get right into this controversial item. For some reason, a bill that threatens the very foundation of our democracy was certified urgent by the President himself… during a pandemic? Despite numerous reassurances that it won’t be weaponized to silence critics and dissenters, we don’t have to look back too far from history to see where this is going. When countless lawyers themselves have stated why this is problematic, then you know something’s wrong.

2. Shutting Down ABS-CBN

In a country where not a lot of people have access to the internet, free TV reigns supreme. Which is why it is particularly concerning when one of the only two major television networks in the country was shut down under shaky grounds. ABS-CBN has been accused of siding against the government, which is why we can’t help but raise an eyebrow with this decision. The hearings to get the network back on-air are still ongoing, but honestly, it’s pretty stressful to watch.

UPDATE (06/30/2020): Today, the National Telecommunications Commission has also issued a cease and desist order against Sky Direct and their TV Plus Channels. Press freedom whomst’ve?

3. Convicting Maria Ressa

Another press freedom issue in the Philippines is the arrest of reporter Reynaldo Santos Jr., and Maria Ressa, CEO of online media platform Rappler. In a high-profile case that was filed on the basis of a technicality (a typo!), the message was sent loud and clear. If you dare criticize the leaders, everything will be done to put you in jail.

4. Arresting Normal Citizens

In a bizarre turn of events, Ronnel Mas, a teacher from Zambales, was arrested for threatening President Rodrigo Duterte in an online post. Mas jokingly offered ₱50 million to the person who would kill the President. Later, he was arrested on charges for inciting sedition. In Cebu, members of progressive and youth groups were arrested for protesting against the Anti-Terror Bill. The internet blew up with fury, demanding justice for these arrests using the #ReleaseCebu7 hashtag. Six jeepney drivers were also arrested for staging a peaceful protest in Caloocan for simply asking the jeepneys to continue operation. All of these things happened while NCR Police Office Chief Major General Debold Sinas came off unscathed for holding a birthday bash with other policemen and definitely not observing quarantine protocols.

UPDATE (06/30/2020): We can now add #FreePride20 to the list. LGBTQ Filipinos staged a protest for Pride while observing social distancing, but got arrested for literally no valid reason.

5. Removing Jeepneys

Okay some may call this a reach, but for some reason, the government has always had it out for our jeepneys, or jeeps. This prominent mode of public transportation for Filipinos has been noticeably missing in the vehicles allowed to run during general community quarantine (GCQ). Despite there being ways to avoid virus transmission in jeepneys, they are still not here. Here is a great article that tells us about the issue of jeep/jeepney phaseout that threatens the jobs of many drivers.

6. Improving Infrastructure

Despite national debt being at an all-time high, we continue to take loans from other countries. And with a lack of transparency on where all this money is going, we are hesitant to believe that it’s meant to address the pandemic. Just days ago, we signed new loans from Japan to build roads and bridges. Even if they are an investment for the future, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth knowing how deep we are in debt with little to no solutions that address the pandemic.

7. Collecting Tax from Everybody and their Mothers, except POGOs

POGO is short for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator, which refers to an online gambling company catered to foreigners, but operates in the country. While Filipinos only make up very little of their workforce, they owe ₱50 billion in unpaid taxes. Yet, the government does not want to go after them, and instead, wants to impose a “Netflix tax” law instead.

And netizens had quite the scare a week ago when the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) released a memorandum that everyone who sells online had to have their business registered for tax purposes. To give them credit, they have made the registration process easier and clarified that you don’t have to pay tax if you’re not earning ₱250K a year. Maybe don’t encourage people to go out in this pandemic to have their online businesses registered first, though?

And again, where are all the country’s loans going to?!

8. Creating Fake Facebook Accounts to Plant Evidence

It’s no secret that there are troll farms or troll armies in the Philippines. They are literally paid to praise the government and fight dissenters online. So imagine everyone’s shock when a lot of Anti-Terror Bill critics woke up to new Facebook accounts being made under their name. With how vague the bill is, these trolls can post a threatening message under your name to get you arrested! Yes, the victims of this cyber attack were mostly people who spoke up against the bill online.

With how quickly these accounts spread, there’s no question that this had funding behind it. Facebook, you have a lot of explaining to do.

So if you’re wondering why we still can’t beat the curve despite having one of the strictest and longest lockdown periods in the world (without mass testing), here’s your answer. Maybe coronavirus was the perfect excuse to do things they wouldn’t have gotten away with before. And if I wanted to stay in power so badly, why would I want to beat COVID-19?

Featured Image: Marfil Graganza Aquino on Pexels

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