Ten zoom backgrounds to spice up your seminars

About three and a half weeks ago, KTH announced that the school’s doors will close with about five hours of notice. This call probably shocked a whole lot of people who started wondering what will happen with all the lectures, workshops and exams. However, the technological catastrophe that could have been a tragic reality never really happened Instead, we were blessed with a yet-unknown tool for communication: Zoom.

When I saw the first person with a virtual background, I knew we had struck gold, reached peak communication. Think of the possibilities! Now you could transport yourself anywhere in the world with just the click of a button. We at ESSET have collected ten of our favorites that you can use for your next seminar, group project or mentor meeting.

1 The iron paper throne

Show off your most valuable possessions by hiding everything in your apartment with a stack of toilet paper knowing that when everyone else has resorted to using bits of old reception T-shirts you will still come out of the bathroom as fresh as ever.

2. Relaxing rainforest

Imagine the sound of raindrops hitting the canopy and the fresh, warm and moist air filling your lungs. You don’t even have to imagine it; just pick up your laptop, go into the bathroom, turn on the shower to the warmest level and play this video in the background. You might as well be in Costa Rica finding yourself on a three-month backpacking trip.

Or, you know. You can just go out for a walk into one of the many parks and forests in Stockholm.

23    quarantine ~= stay_inside

3. F1

For those of you that have a little too much separation anxiety from our beloved campus. Or maybe for those of you who like to sit in the back of the lecture hall speaking and don’t want to lose that experience.

4. The Lava cover photo of 2020

The yearly Facebook background picture change sometime in early February is a stark reminder for some that you should probably be looking for a company to write your thesis with. Others see it as the second coming of Christmas and a perfect time to stock up on notebooks and pens. Regardless, you can emulate that time of the season by setting this as your Zoom background.

5. A bookshelf

The other pictures might be a little too unserious for an actual online seminar so you, an intellectual can use this one. Of course, if you have a nice bookshelf to sit in front of you wouldn’t need this picture, this picture is for those of us that don’t.

6. The beach

This background can actually already be found among the defaults. There really isn’t one that better conveys where you would rather be right now. A hat adds to the feeling and taking off your shirt instantly teleports you to the beach in question. At least that’s how it will look.

7. Dark walkway

Probably the best option for teleconferencing in dimly lit rooms. This picture has a Stanley Kubrick-ey vibe and should be complemented with black clothing and sunglasses. Bonus points if you sit very still while others are debating and suddenly (but quietly) exclaim: “I have a plan” as you light a cigarette.

8. Tomorrow’s weather

Before this crisis, people thought you could only be in front of this map if you were a television meteorologist. Now you can take their spot and enlighten your student and professor colleagues on tomorrow’s weather, every day.

9. The subway

Resume a sense of normalcy with this public transit background. Relive all your memories of standing on a crowded train with your face a mere centimeter from someone's armpit from the comfort of your own home. We spiced things up a little with this C30 train which will hopefully be running in the near future.

10. The Coffice

Though a small picture, the Coffice holds a large part in each and every student's hearts. The smell of newly baked cinnamon buns and another stamp in your ever-growing collection of coupon cards.

Karl Mårtensson

Editor-in-chief

Henrik Bergström

Writer