It’s no secret that Covid-19 has us all living a little bit differently. Here in Austin and Dallas, that is certainly no exception. The weather is getting warmer and by this time of year, patios are typically at capacity and the drinks are flowing as soon as your friends can sneak out of the office for the day. To say we have cabin fever is an understatement. That said, we’re all proud to do our part to keep people safe and #flattenthecurve.
Cue: A team call.
Two weeks ago, our rowdy bunch decided to host an industry-wide virtual happy hour and try to bring a little levity to a spring that feels a bit heavy for many of us. We invited all of our favorite people: event planners, caterers, rental companies, fabricators, audio-visual gurus, etc and decided we’d steer clear of the gloom by sharing funny, on-site stories from brighter days.
As people logged on, there were smiles and waves and shout-outs in the group chat. We giggled at those who brought an entire bottle of wine for the hour-long call and marveled at others who went full mixologist with their cocktails. Seeing friendly faces who we’re usually working arm-in-arm with during this season made the world feel a little less like The Upside Down. From a story about a delivery truck’s near-miss with a rather large lake to tales about wedding guests (and brides) gone wild, unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions to mirrors that came out of nowhere, laughter truly felt like the best medicine.
If you’re considering hosting your own virtual happy hour, here are some of our takeaways…
Designate one person to kick things off.
Establish the rules: muting, chatting, bathroom etiquette…
Engage with everyone.
Use the chat function.
Keep it light.
Keep it short.
End on a high note!
To everyone out there learning to socialize without handshakes, hugs and high fives, we’re with you. We’ll see you at our next Virtual Happy Hour, April 24th at 3:00pm - BYOB.
- Stratton
PS. The Password is “Tipsy”