Humor Editor
As school is starting again, every student endures the same thing in each class: icebreakers. These dreaded “getting to know each other” games have only caused anxiety and embarrassment for me. What if I don’t have a fact that’s fun about me? What if I don’t know what to bring to a hypothetical picnic? In my opinion, icebreakers need a real upgrade, and I have some ideas.
First, I don’t care what your favorite ice cream flavor is; I want to know what your favorite childhood show was. This can reveal a great deal about someone. If they watched shows like Sid the Science Kid or The Magic School Bus, they were total nerds. If they watched Wild Kratts or Odd Squad, they loved adventure. Yo Gabba Gabbba meant dancing. Sesame Street meant friends.
Next, I need to know what you think the most significant pop culture moment is. This question determines who I’ll befriend and who I won’t. If someone doesn’t know the classic Tanka Jahari meme from Impractical Jokers, our friendship just wouldn’t work. On the other hand, if a fellow classmate recognizes the lyrics Don’t stop, get it, get it, we’re going to get along great. Other acceptable answers include the hyperpigmentation meme, Mama, a girl behind you, Justin Bieber’s passion for clocks, and gymnastic superstar Benson Boone’s hit song Moonbeam Ice Cream.
People say icebreakers are a waste of time, but hear me out. Everyone shares the closest they’ve come to the deadline of an assignment before submitting it. You’ll learn who to group up with and who not to. Steer clear of those who say anything less than 20 minutes, but make sure to grab people who say anything greater than 24 hours. This icebreaker is not only fun, but it will help you map out the optimal group for a project. Never again will you regret picking someone who you thought would be a great partner, but dumped all the work on you. Thank me later.
If you’re not interested in doing an icebreaker to get to know someone, I understand that. I have some questions that you can ask to reveal red flags in a person. Have they seen K-Pop Demon Hunters? If they have not, sprint in the other direction. Do they like Labubus? If they are avid collectors of these demonic keychains, don’t get too close to them. Do they like chocolate or vanilla? Dogs or cats? Who’s their favorite girl on Dance Moms? Well, maybe that last one is the only one I care to hear.
The first few weeks of school can be challenging, but I hope these new, refurbished icebreaker ideas will make those weeks a little easier. You won’t have to waste time brainstorming facts to make yourself seem interesting or come up with lies and truths. After these reinvented icebreaker suggestions, I have no doubt you’ll be able to make strong conversations with your new classmates.
Categories: Humor