Icebreaker games are intended to help strangers connect, but most people despise participating in these games. Whether it be due to getting anxiety over what to say or dreading listening to the boring answers of other players, icebreakers are not a fan favorite. The way I prepare for this activity I know I will be forced to participate in at least once every first day of school is by compiling “interesting” facts about myself beforehand. As the years have passed, I have a solid list of what I can say.
“My favorite color is navy blue.”
When playing an icebreaker game, this is the easiest and safest fact to say about yourself. No one can judge you for your favorite color unless they have serious issues. My favorite color is navy blue because I think the color looks sophisticated. I enjoy both black and blue, which might be another reason why navy blue, a mix of the two former colors, is my favorite. Dark navy blue often represents power and responsibility, two traits I admire seeing in other people. My bed sheets are navy blue, my journal is navy blue, my water bottle is navy blue, my favorite book has a navy blue spine, and most of my clothes are navy blue.
“My house burned down when I was in fourth grade.”
I will typically laugh after I tell this fact, but the story behind it is actually quite somber. On July 15th, 2015, an elderly man who lived in my neighborhood had a heart attack while driving right past my house. His limp foot landed on the gas pedal and his hands lost control of the steering, so he happened to accelerate right into my house. The collision caused my house to shake, and eight year-old me thought there was an earthquake. Luckily, all of my family members made it outside safely, but the unfortunate accident did result in sparks, which led to my house burning down.
“I got my first haircut in Canada.”
No, I did not live in Canada. My parents did not want me to cut my hair for a long time because of our religion. When I was eleven, we went on holiday to Canada to visit my cousins, and they convinced my parents to let me get a haircut. It was a very exciting moment for me, even though it is a normal thing for most children. To this day, it is probably the best haircut I have ever had.
“All of my clothes have a chocolate stain.”
I love chocolate, and I am a messy eater. This was my go-to fact for icebreakers in middle school, but I think it would be a little embarrassing to say this now. All said clothes have either been washed thoroughly or thrown away, so this fact is not true anymore. If I were to replace this fact, I would say that all of my clothes are from Brandy Melville.
