Moving into a dorm isn’t always an easy transition. Going from a home filled with family to a complex filled with strangers can be a bit overwhelming. If you’re an introvert is can seem more like torture than a living situation.
Once mom, dad and the movers leave you’ll be on your own, but it doesn’t have to stay that way for long. Use these effective icebreakers to start meeting new people and making friends!
Decorate Your Door
On the day you move in there’s a good chance the RA put a sign with your name on the door so you could find your room. It’s also a good way for everyone to get a better feel for who lives on their floor.
You can easily draw the attention of dorm mates by decorating your door. If you need artistic inspiration try one of these ideas:
- Add a mix of your high school memorabilia with décor that matches your college. You may end up meeting someone who went to a rival high school.
- List out some fun facts about yourself like your major, sports teams or organizations you belonged to in high school and your hometown.
- Mount a dry erase board and change the message each day with quotes, jokes or random thoughts. People will stop by just to see what you’ve written that day.
- Show off your artistic talents by covering the door in decorated packing paper.
- Make a game of it by posting a fill in the blank sentence, posing a question or playing hangman.
- Change the décor for each holiday.
Keep Your Door Open
When a dorm room door is open it tells others that you are welcoming and open to having a conversation. If nothing else when people pass by they’ll get a glimpse of your room, which gives them insight into who you are. They may also see something that catches their eye and prompts them to stop and strike up a conversation.
Play Board Games in the Common Area
Most dorms have common areas on every floor. They are meant to give people a place to congregate and hang out. You can easily meet new friends by bringing a few board games. Popular games like Cards Against Humanity are a great way to get a taste of someone’s personality. Classics like checkers and Jenga will also get people interacting.
Have a Movie Night With Your Roommate
If nothing else there’s one person you’ll definitely get to know in a dorm – your roommate. Before you branch out and start socializing with other people on your floor, take the time to get to know your roommate by having a movie night. This is ideal because you won’t feel pressured to talk the entire time. You can each pick a movie to watch and a few snacks to nosh on. You can use it as an icebreaker by explaining why you choose a specific movie.
Make Friends With the RA
Another person you can count on is your RA. They can show you the ropes and provide suggestions for how to meet new people. Your RA can even make introductions since they know everyone who lives on your floor of the dorm.
Offer Up Compliments
Everyone likes getting compliments, which is why it’s an effective way to make friends. The catch is it needs to be a genuine compliment. If like someone else’s door decorations, personal style, taste in music, etc. throw a compliment their way to make a connection.
Don’t Skip Dorm Meetings and Mixers
Most dorms will host meetings and mixers for either the entire building or each floor. This is a great opportunity to get to know the other people living next door. There’s also a good chance they’ll play a few icebreaker games to encourage people to start talking.
If you need help getting moved into or out of your dorm give Square Cow Movers a call! Our professional movers will get you set up quickly so you can stress less about the heavy lifting and start making friends.
Original Source: https://squarecowmovers.com/ice-breakers-surefire-ways-make-friends-dorm/