Alternative Icebreakers That Are Actually Interesting

What’s everyone’s absolute favorite activity at the beginning of each semester? If you said giving the Harvard introduction until your words lose meaning or going through the same icebreakers (“My favorite color is blue!”) in every single club, then we’re on the same page. We’ve come up with some ~alternative~ icebreakers to really spice up those awkward meetings with random people whose names you’ll never remember.

What is your favorite item that you brought with you to Harvard?

Such a sentimental question! We just love it when people talk about objects that they are passionate about. Is it the teddy bear that they’ve had since birth or their illegal microwave?

What’s your favorite song to listen to while studying?

Find out what jams play in the background as someone sobs over their CS50 pset.

Favorite HUDS dish?

There’s a lot you can learn about someone based on their go-tos from HUDS. If they mention the suspicious looking General Gao’s chicken that we’re pretty sure are just frozen chicken nuggets thrown in teriyaki sauce, maybe consider walking away from the conversation. Alternatively, you can also try asking what everyone’s best dhall hack is – it might just be your saving grace next time that meal you love to hate is on the menu.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

We bet you $5 that someone’s going to say “their bed.” Good chance for some creativity, or to plan your next dream vacation instead of studying?

What is your birth time, date, and location?

Dating at Harvard is hard. Who has time to commit to a relationship when you can barely commit to your psets? By getting someone’s time of birth, date, and location, you can figure out their Sun, Moon, and Rising horoscopes. Fear not, you no longer have to go on awkward dates with them. Just plug in their birth logistics and figure out whether or not their horoscope is compatible with yours (psst, just stay away from the Scorpio men – no offense).

We hope these alternative icebreakers help get the juices flowing on how to make your Harvard intros more spicy and less boring – after all, we can only say “name, year, house, concentration” so many times!