Are you tired of the same old small talk? Every time you have to participate in team building at work…on a first date…all the places where you are forced to have conversation with someone you don’t know very well. As an extrovert, I have no problem talking to anybody to include a brick wall. But that doesn’t mean awkward situations don’t arise. And for all my introverts, whose worst nightmare are the situations above, I have a few things to help! I also want to share with you guys some more about who I am so you can know the person you’re following along with. These are good for all ages so please feel free to use in whatever context you need!
Let’s check out 5 unique ice breaker questions that will allow you to get to know someone in a fun way without having to entertain the boring small talk. Along the way, I will be answering these questions for myself so you all can get to know about me a little bit more as well!
1. Do you speak any other languages? How did you learn? If not, what languages would you be interested in knowing and why?
So I am bilingual in Spanish and English. I am currently a high school Spanish teacher in Huntsville, AL. I was originally interested in learning Spanish when I went on a mission trip to Baja, Mexico the summer before 9th grade. I loved playing with the kids and I wanted to be able to come back and speak with them more than that summer. I took 3 years of Spanish in high school and really enjoyed it. My great aunt and uncle were also missionaries in Mexico, my uncle was Hispanic, so once I told them that I really wanted to be fluent my aunt wouldn’t take no for an answer. Every phone call, email, etc. my Aunt Nomi would pretend like she couldn’t speak English and force me to figure it out. Fast forward to college where I received a minor in Spanish and then a couple more years go by and I went to language school and lived in Guatemala. Full immersion was the best way to really top it off and now I try to stay fresh in any way possible. I help lead mission trips to Spanish-speaking countries, I listen to Spanish music, and I am currently raising my baby girl bilingual by speaking to her in Spanish as much as possible. I would also love to learn ASL and am working towards getting my basics down now. My best friend is a CODA (child of deaf adult) and is encouraging me to do it!
2. If money were no object, what is the #1 thing you would ask for on your next birthday?
No brainer–my dream house! But it has to be paid off–of course. If you’re in the adult world you know good and well what a blessing it is to be completely debt free. If I could build my dream house on a couple acres of land and have no mortgage payments I would be set! Check out some ideas I want in my dream home by clicking HERE. I would love to hear your comments or questions about what you have in your homes that you couldn’t live without! Click HERE to share with me some home building/decor ideas that are must haves or simply comment on this blog!
3. What did you want to be when you were younger? Is it the same as what you want/do now?
When I was really young I wanted to be a doctor or a vet–spent my whole childhood fixing my family and my stuffed animals. I mean who didn’t right? As I grew into my teenage years my passion went to photography and writing so naturally that turned my dream job into being a photojournalist. I would die for a job at National Geographic–I would still say that’s my dream job. But reality of how much you travel made me nervous to be away from family so much so I went to my next passion-coaching basketball. Which in turn made me pursue education. And here we are! I love teaching and coaching for sure. But part of me would still hop on the next plane (if it’s paid for…. #teachersalary) and jet off on an adventure with my camera and my journal! Oh and my husband and my child….my people too 🙂
4. What is the one thing you cannot leave your house without and why?
Although I would love to be the cool minimalist mom-it’s probably my phone. Being a new mom, I love being able to FaceTime my baby girl when I’m at work. My husband and I check in with each other. I even start my day with podcasts that of course are on my phone. Now would I freak out if I accidentally left it one day…no I am not one to overreact. But I would definitely miss it and much prefer to have that every day.
5. Who is your favorite fictional character and why?
This is extremely hard for a kid at heart like me. I love some fiction–books, tv shows, movies. Give me all of it! And I CANNOT pick just one. Give me all the Disney, Harry Potter, Marvel, 90’s tv shows…let’s discuss it all! If you want me to write a blog about one of these categories specifically–let me know by clicking HERE! Tell me your favorites while you’re at it!
So there you go–5 ice breakers that are not overused to get to know someone! These can help start some great conversations. Notice that none of them are yes or no questions. All are open-ended or followed up with “why” if they can be answered simply. Use these next time during an awkward work lunch or if you’re leading a group in a team-builder. These are great for all ages to get people talking. Find out your similarities and differences and build on those!
Don’t forget to click above and share with me your thoughts! Hope you learned a little more about me as well!