I like icebreakers because you obviously get to meet new people. It might be awkward for some at first, but then as you get to know them more, you start to realize that you might have the same internets as they do.
Although, meeting new people through icebreakers isn’t always the best option for making new friends. I just don’t understand why they’re so awkward for some people. Now, don’t get me wrong, but everyone is different and they just might feel that way. Even then, some people aren’t as confident as others and icebreakers can help them get through that social barrier. Also, imagine if a guy and a girl did an icebreaker together and they somehow hit it off down the road after becoming friends from that icebreaker. Even relationships can happen through simple icebreakers.
So, what do you think of my opinion? Are they really that bad in the first place?
If you are in a group(class, club) they can be a method of getting to meet different people. The thing to do is realize that some people are introverts and some are extraverts so make sure both types wouldn’t be too uncomfortable.
Like “Who has come from the farthest away” is cool but “Truth or Dare” would not be.
I hate them. For two years in a row I have skipped the year’s first meeting of a club I like because I had such a visceral negative reaction to going and doing icebreakers.
A lot of icebreakers are poorly designed and/or cater mostly to extroverted people who don’t mind being put on the spot and/or speaking in front of a large group they don’t know. Some people really want to meet others and will be great friends, but take a while to warm up to a crowd or prefer to be on the fringes. They don’t want to be in the spotlight, and icebreakers often force them to.
They can be okay. But more often than not, 75% of the students roll their eyes and half heartedly go through the motions. So why bother? We’re adults, not children. It’s almost akin to “Go be friends with Johnny, now.”
There is no denying that at the very least, they break the ice, regardless of whether or not you like them. Is it better to sit in your room alone? Probably not.
I make my students do ice breakers on the first day of a discussion class. If you can’t get through the icebreaker (which is something very mild- nothing personal or anything) then you’re probably not going to get a good grade in the discussion class.
I get it. I am an extreme introvert and incredibly shy. But sometimes you have to fake it for a grade. I’d love for college to be some other way, but I don’t have control over the grading system (just a TA). I’ve found that since doing ice breakers and get-to-know-each-other things in my discussion sections, I tend to get a more chatty class.
Yes, they’re awkward. But they also speed up the natural process of people getting to know one another - especially now that we’re all more comfortable playing with our phones rather than making small talk. As a teacher, my experience parallels @romanigypsyeyes : the classes where I make the effort to do icebreakers and interactive things during the first few days of class are always more dynamic and people get more involved.