A good ice breaker can bring together strangers, demolish shyness and tear down barriers. They’re great conversation starters.

And they’re also just plain fun.

At Georgia College’s second orientation of the summer—hundreds of new students showed the usual hesitation to participate in ice breakers. Then, within seconds, sessions were abuzz with chitchat, laughter, high fives, handshakes and hugs.

When surveyed, incoming students regularly rate the ice breakers as their favorite orientation activity, noted Brittany Bryan, assistant director for New Student Programs and the GC Welcome Center.

It’s not hard to figure out why.

Students played familiar games, like Rock, Paper, Scissors. Each winner would raise their hand and find another winner, then play again, until only six winners were left. It got down to two competitors in each session with a final chance to win great swag.

Another ice-breaking game divided students into four groups. They were asked questions about their favorite ice cream flavor, vacation spots and seasons. Students moved to join like-minded peers.

Simple activities like these reduce tension and spur conversation. Students found others who lived in their hometowns, planned to major in the same field or liked the same sports and clubs.

Ice breakers helped forge new friendships, and groundwork was laid for students to recognize familiar faces when they return to campus in August for Week of Welcome 2022.