The Trend of Hosting PowerPoint Parties Among Millennials

McCall Mirabella celebrated her 21st birthday party last month. Instead of traditional gifts, she requested her guests to bring a PowerPoint presentation.

Being a popular TikTok and YouTube influencer with over 1.3 million followers, Mirabella gathered her close friends for the special occasion. She encouraged them to create and present a slideshow on any topic they found amusing, with the only rule being "the sillier, the better."

PowerPoint presentation nights have become a hit among partygoers, where guests get to showcase their creativity and humor. One guest rated animated characters' attractiveness, while another comically explored the stages of being high. Mirabella shared her predictions on her friends' survival in the Hunger Games, complete with violent ends, a popular theme for these parties.

These nights have gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, offering a fun way for friends to bond and share their unique interests and funny perspectives. Despite being a common tool in corporate settings, PowerPoint presentations have found a new and entertaining purpose among friends, revealing their quirks and strengths in a lighthearted manner.

Attending and hosting PowerPoint nights filled with assigning Taylor Swift songs or fictional crimes to match personalities is a delight, according to Mirabella. She finds these slideshow-centric parties to be a unique source of joy.

Describing the atmosphere, she mentioned, "They're so unserious." Most of the time, she observed, people end up in tears from laughing so intensely or doubled over wheezing with laughter.

PowerPoint parties have become a trend during the pandemic, but they have been bringing joy to friends for quite some time. These gatherings simply require an HDMI-compatible TV, a fun slideshow, and a willingness to tease your friends or share your secret interests. Despite being around for almost 40 years, PowerPoint has evolved from a tool used in offices and classrooms to a key element in these creative and entertaining parties.

In 2012, the concept of the PowerPoint party was born when three students at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, organized a “Drink, Talk & Learn” event. According to Buzzfeed News, guests were required to present on a niche topic of their choice, such as the moral alignment of Sonic the Hedgehog character Shadow.

The popularity of PowerPoint parties continued to rise, and by 2018, more enthusiasts in the US were joining in on the fun. From software engineers in Seattle to students in Boston, individuals were sharing slides on highly specific subjects with a small audience, often while enjoying a drink.

In a recent article by The Harvard Crimson, a student made the argument that King Claudius is the true hero of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," a controversial viewpoint. The student shared that he had only discussed this idea with friends before, but now had the chance to present it to a wider audience.

With the arrival of Covid-19 in 2020, many Americans found themselves isolated at home. As a result, virtual PowerPoint parties became a popular way for friends to connect, share updates, and bring some joy into their lives. Whether through Zoom or with housemates, people turned ordinary nights into opportunities for private TedTalks.

In Philadelphia, a woman shared a presentation about her single friend in hopes of introducing him to a potential partner.

In Philadelphia, a woman shared a presentation about her single friend in hopes of introducing him to a potential partner.

TikTok users have been sharing exciting bits from presentations, but they usually keep the details to themselves, only revealing funny titles. These posts have sparked a trend of users creating their own entertaining slideshows. The topics usually revolve around quirky and amusing scenarios involving friends, such as how they would survive a zombie apocalypse. There are also discussions on minor interests or funny theories, like the "real" reason behind the extinction of dinosaurs.

Since the party format became popular in 2020, TikTok users have been coming up with creative twists on traditional slideshow gatherings. They have garnered over 40 million views on TikTok using related hashtags. Users have experimented with new ideas and sought unique suggestions for presentations from platforms like Reddit. For example, there was a host who surprised guests by making them present someone else's PowerPoint on a topic they knew nothing about. One person even presented a PowerPoint on coming out to their family on Christmas.

While Microsoft PowerPoint is commonly used for these parties, other services like Prezi, Canva, and Google Slides are also popular choices. Microsoft has offered tips for hosting a successful PowerPoint party, including using fun transitions to make photos boomerang across the screen and titles disappear with a click.

Ever since her cousins introduced her to PowerPoint parties at a sleepover eight months ago, Mirabella's presentations have been getting better and more entertaining. In her most recent slideshow, themed around The Hunger Games, she included multimedia features like Taylor Swift making a surprise appearance in the fictional arena for a halftime show. Her friends unanimously agreed that it was the highlight of the night.

Editor's P/S:

The rise of PowerPoint parties highlights the versatility of this ubiquitous software beyond its traditional business and educational uses. These gatherings have become a unique and entertaining way for friends to connect, share their creativity, and indulge in lighthearted humor. The pandemic has accelerated the popularity of virtual PowerPoint parties, offering a much-needed social outlet during a time of isolation.

The article effectively captures the essence of these parties, emphasizing the silly and often absurd nature of the presentations. The examples provided, such as rating animated characters' attractiveness and exploring the stages of being high, showcase the wide range of topics that can be explored. The inclusion of personal anecdotes from Mirabella and other partygoers adds a relatable and humorous touch, giving readers a glimpse into the lively atmosphere of these events. surprise appearance in Mirabella's Hunger Games presentation, adds an extra layer of entertainment to these events.