A roundup of recommended icebreakers for college students
An icebreaker refers to simple activities or games designed to ease tension among participants, shorten the emotional distance between them, and facilitate smooth communication.
They’re especially effective in situations where people are meeting for the first time.
If you’re a university student, you’ve probably encountered them in first classes, group work, club activities, or even during job hunting.
In this article, we’ll introduce a range of easy icebreakers that help people get closer to one another.
We’ve focused on activities based on self-introductions and fun games that progress through mutual communication, so pick the ones that fit the situation where you want to use an icebreaker.
- [For University Students] A Roundup of Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- [Self-Introduction & Games] Icebreaker Ideas Collection
- Icebreaker Ideas and Games Collection
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for college students
- Fun games recommended for making friends with people you’ve just met
- Break the ice with intros and team battles! Party games to spice up your welcome event
- A roundup of recommended personality tests for icebreakers
- Games to Liven Up the Freshers’ Welcome Party
- A simple and fun co-op game that enhances teamwork
- Get the Fun Going! Easy Classroom Games You Can Play at School: Recreational Activities for the Whole Class
- [Simple Games] Recommended Indoor Recreational Activities for Adults
- [In a Short Time] Icebreakers and Fun Games That Shine at Morning Meetings
Recommended Icebreakers for College Students (11–20)
Kanji Self-Introduction
An easy icebreaker you can do anytime, anywhere, with any number of people as long as you have paper and a pen: the “Kanji Self-Introduction.” Everyone has paper and a pen and writes down a single kanji character that they feel perfectly represents themselves.
It helps to give people a moment to think.
Then, one by one, participants reveal their kanji and explain why that single character represents them, as a way of introducing themselves.
It might be hard to sum yourself up in just one kanji, but it could be a good opportunity to reexamine yourself—to really face who you are.
Introducing someone else
Tako-shokai, as the name suggests, is not a self-introduction but an introduction of someone else.
First, form pairs and, through conversation, draw out your partner’s profile.
Then it’s time for the actual introduction.
In front of everyone, you will present your partner’s profile.
When you do, don’t just list basic profile items—make your partner shine by sharing episodes behind their background and experiences, as well as what they like and what they’re good at.
It’s an icebreaker that not only helps you understand each other and warm up, but also tests your presentation skills.
little thief
Let me introduce a consensus game set in a convenience store.
The characters are: the “store manager,” “part-time worker A,” and a “boy who steals three rice balls every day.” Noticing the boy’s theft, the manager tells A to catch him and call the police.
However, A does not apprehend the boy.
Even when the manager asks why, A won’t answer, and A is ultimately fired.
Among these three, who do you think is the most at fault? Also, rank the individuals from 1 to 3 in order of blame.
It’s a question where the rankings may change depending on how you imagine the boy’s reasons for stealing.
Common-point self-introduction
Are you good at introducing yourself? Most people usually share their name and talk about their hobbies or what they like, right? This icebreaker called the “Common Ground Self-Intro” involves listening to the person before you, finding something you have in common with them, and then introducing yourself based on that.
Even with someone you’ve just met or don’t know well, discovering common ground makes it easier to feel a sense of familiarity and helps the interaction stick in your memory.
Plus, having something in common can spark future conversations.
It can even help you find someone who shares the same hobbies!
Picture shiritori
How about using a simple game like “drawing shiritori” as an icebreaker—something you can play with just paper, a chalkboard, or a whiteboard? In this video, groups of three play: one person gives a prompt, another draws it, and the third guesses what the drawing is.
Teams compete to see how many rounds of shiritori they can complete within the time limit.
At a college social, you could form several groups and have them compete against each other! People who aren’t good at drawing might have a rough time, but it seems like a game that would really liven things up.
Finding commonalities
Common-ground finding is a fun game that helps you talk with people you’re meeting for the first time and feel closer to them.
There are various ways to play: for example, participants form pairs or groups and, within a time limit, look for things they have in common through conversation; or they present common points they’ve written down in advance—those are standard approaches.
Conversations can stall without a prompt, so set simple topics like “How you spend your days off” or “Favorite foods.” It’s also a good idea to set a target number of commonalities to find beforehand.
Recommended Icebreakers for University Students (21–30)
Gesture Game
How about using a classic gesture game—often seen on variety shows and a staple recreation game—as an icebreaker? A representative comes to the front and expresses the given prompt using only their body and movements.
Explaining anything out loud is not allowed—do your best to communicate with gestures alone! If it’s too difficult, set rules in advance, such as how many passes are allowed.
Focusing on conveying the message through gestures will make nervousness and anxiety fade away.