College Culture Sketch

College Culture: PowerPoint n’ White Claws

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day during class when there was a change in the conversation. “Do you want to see a PowerPoint my roommate made,” she said with a humorous twinkle in her eye, “Don’t worry, it’s not a typical PowerPoint presentation.”

I was thinking what you are thinking. What about a PowerPoint presentation could make my friend so excited to share with me?

I have a group of friends that have been putting together what they call “PowerPoint Night.” Basically, the presentations have nothing to do with anything academic but more humorous. Any topic is on the table to present to the group and the more raunchy is the better. Examples of the presentations that have been done is “Ranking the Midwest Governors and Who They Should be Replaced by” (Kim Reynolds would be replaced with single ply toilet paper) and “Why I Should be Allowed to Sleep With This Person” (if anything like this comes up, I would make sure the other person stays anonymous).

Alcohol and the time that these are presented are big factors in what make them so funny. Quite a few glasses of wine and White Claws are consumed and as it gets later at night, it gets more humorous.

I was going to try to interview the ones that host the PowerPoint room, which is Taylor Van Vliet, Elizabeth Obermeier, and their two roommates. I might interview with whoever else participates. I am personally participating in on the night, so hopefully I don’t have too many White Claws in me to not take notes.

I want to show that the some of the culture of college is this lawful chaotic energy that likes to make regular things, PowerPoints, into what they weren’t intended for. I think people would also like to hear the story about how PowerPoint Night got started. Also, I think in this pandemic that doing this alcohol fueled night is just a moment of normal college stuff without the possible large crowd risk.