E-numan
Overview
Terminology
E-numan[1] or “Electronic inuman” is a trend that is currently popular among Filipinos during the pandemic. Derived from the Filipino term, inuman, it is an activity that includes drinking as a way to bond with other people in the digital space. In this case, it is done through any online conference platform as a way to connect with other friends and family through playing games or drinking alcohol and to be safe from COVID-19.
Origins
Due to lockdowns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, people were prevented from socializing with others face-to-face. Since they were not able to visit bars or restaurants in groups, a new activity was created by Filipinos to allow themselves to connect with others in groups and either play games or do drinking sessions while following social-distancing guidelines. This trend would then later be supported by alcoholic-drink companies such as the ABHP or the AB Heineken Philippines Inc. and an online platform for selling alcoholic drinks known as Drinkies.ph. As a response to the current trend, a digital campaign was released titled “#SocializeResponsibly” where they encourage people to both drink responsibly and socialize safely during the pandemic.[2]
How to start an e-numan
Starting your own e-numan session is easy. You can start by agreeing with your friends on a set date to meet up as well as decide on a platform that will be used. As much as possible, try to choose a date and time that you and your friends are most free on so that the session will go uninterrupted. Prior to the session, you and your friends can come up with activities that can be done online and with a group of people. It’s up to you to decide on the type or kind of games to play. You can even agree on a theme so that you can all be coordinated. And lastly, an e-numan session is not complete without drinks, so choose whatever drinks you have at home to drink during the session. If you cannot tolerate or drink alcohol, fret not, because you can still join with any drink of your choice, whether it may be water or milk. There’s no limitation, so just go chill, drink, and have fun with your friends while being able to practice social distancing. Just make sure to drink responsibly.
Platforms
There are several platforms that Filipinos use to participate in e-numans. Some of the more popular ones are Zoom and Discord, where the former is used by almost everyone while the latter is used mostly by students or the youth in general.
Zoom
Zoom is a common platform used in schools to conduct classes in light of COVID-19, but can also be used for socializing. The platform allows for a maximum of 100 participants for up to 24 hours for premium (i.e., paid) users, while the free version can accommodate only two participants for the same amount of time. Free users can still have three or more participants, but the meeting can only last for 40 minutes[3]. A few of the notable features of Zoom include video and audio conferencing, recording the session, screen-sharing, and virtual backgrounds. What’s best is you don’t need to create an account to participate in a session. This makes it convenient for users who only use Zoom from time to time and don’t feel the need to create an account. It also allows for virtually anyone to join a session immediately and without additional hassles. This makes Zoom a choice platform for the less techy and older generations.
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Discord
Another popular platform for e-numans is Discord. Similar to Zoom in that it allows for video and audio conferencing, as well as screen-sharing, it was first introduced as a platform for in-play gamers who play in groups.[4] The onset of quarantine has expanded its use, and it is now common for non-gamers to make Discord accounts mainly for socializing or for school and extracurricular activities. It also has additional features that make it more appealing to the younger generations, but at the same time, its complexity makes it less appealing for older generations. For example, Discord allows users to listen to music together using bots such as Groovy. Discord also requires users to sign up using an email address. Additionally, Discord allows up to 5,000 participants in a video call.[5] Another unique feature of the platform is the use of servers. Servers are like chat rooms that automatically save to your dashboard. This makes it easy to access past meeting rooms, and you can join up to 100 servers at a time. A server can have multiple channels, which can be thought of as rooms within the server where you can chat through text or video to better compartmentalize conversations. This also means that, unlike Zoom, past activity is accessible whenever you open the application.
Games/Activities
Among Us
After its short burst of popularity following its release in 2018, Among Us resurfaced in 2020 with the start of the pandemic. It’s available on desktop and mobile devices. With it being free on mobile devices, it’s an affordable avenue of fun for friends who want to outsmart each other as a crewmate or impostor. With the help of Discord, participants can easily mute themselves during the time to finish their tasks and then unmute when it’s time to deliberate and blame each other as the impostor.
Netflix Party/Teleparty
Watching Netflix alone can get boring, so with Netflix Party or Teleparty, you can now watch movies with your friends online. It is a Chrome extension that allows you to synchronize your movie so that you and your friends will be able to watch at the same time even though it is online. It also includes a chat feature so that you may chat with your friends without having to leave the application.
Kahoot!
Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform, used as educational technology in schools and other educational institutions. It is usually a multiple-choice question when this program is used for educational purposes. With the rise of the pandemic, groups of friends have used this platform to host game nights. Topics may include trivia or things about the group of friends. With the help of calling/meeting platforms, the group of participants may have a good time in this program.
The Jackbox Party Pack
Jackbox Party Pack contains a collection of video games that can be played with friends. There are different party packs, but all have 5 different video games to choose from. Some of the games included in the party pack are Fibbage, Trivia Murder Party, Quiplash, etc. The game would require only one person to host and stream the game while their other friends can join with the code provided by the game. The games can accommodate around 1–8 players depending on the type of game.
References
- ↑ Gawaran, Chrysmas (2020-03-27). "How to Have an E-Numan – DrinkManila". Retrieved 2021-05-31.
- ↑ Lastra, Queenie (2020-07-24). "Is 'E-numan' The New Trend For Filipinos?". Village Pipol Magazine. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
- ↑ Copeman, Anyron. "How to get around Zoom's 40 minute limit". Tech Advisor. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
- ↑ "Discord vs Zoom | 2021 Comparison". StackShare. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
- ↑ "Server Limits". The Discord Wiki. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
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