Excellent Work!
Move over TikTok, there’s a new social app in town. Well, technically Houseparty isn’t new – it’s been around since February 2016, but it’s mainly been the domain of socially awkward teenagers. Until now. The app’s been poppin’ since social isolation loomed on the horizon. Houseparty is designed to recreate a, er, houseparty, which means there are all sorts of different ways you can use the app.
So what makes it different to any other video chat app?
Firstly, you get notifications any time one of your friends is ‘in the house’ (or if you’re feeling silly, ‘in da HOUUUUSE’). And when your friends are in the house you can just hit their name and jump into a conversation with them – or anyone else they happen to be talking to. Chat bombs. Never. Get. Old. Just saying.
There’s more here, too – there are games like HeadsUp and Trivia, and there’s also a screen sharing option you can share exactly what you’re looking at on your phone. Basically, there’s endless potential to amuse – and annoy – everyone.
5 ideas to turn your Houseparty into an (almost) real party
Turn the games into drinking games
This one’s pretty straightforward: turn one of the free games in the app into a drinking game. Playing HeadsUp? For every one that your friend fails to guess they have to do a shot; for every one that you have to pass because you can’t describe it, you have to do a shot. Make sure you have some aspirin in your house for this one…
Listen to live music with Tiny Desk Concert
Pretend you’ve gone to a gig by streaming the same Tiny Desk Concert at the same time as your Houseparty pals. Think Sofar Sounds, but in your own home. If you want to see some big names, loads of artists like Years & Years and James Blake are streaming live from their Instagram channels too. Don’t have the same taste in music as your mates? No worries, you can all listen to something different, if you must.
Have dinner – order a Deliveroo of the same style cuisine to arrive at the same time
OK, so this idea requires some logistics, but as you’ve probably got some time on your hands we’re sure you can figure it out. Use Deliveroo to order the same style of food to arrive at the same time, and you and your friends can almost, almost pretend you’re eating in the same restaurant.
Watch a movie together
Choose your film, settle down on the sofa, get your phone sitting comfortably beside you. Hit play at exactly the same time and off you go! OK, so it’s not as good as real life, but these are very strange times, you know. Maybe get the wine flowing, too – we like to call this AperiTV
Do a pub quiz together
(Photo credit: ft.com)
Try Indytute’s pub quiz on Friday 1st May using Houseparty to chat to your team remotely. You’ll be in with a chance of winning a prize, but even if you don’t win, your money will be going to support food banks. As they say, it’s all about taking part.
FURTHER READING
Looking for other ways to entertain yourself? Why not check out our list of favourite reads to Up Lit your Reading List?
