Getting Acquainted/
Building Relationships

Unique Things
In advance, each person in the group confidentially completes the sentence "One really unique think about me is _______" or "One really unique thing that happened to me is _______." Responses are typed with a line in front of each statement. Participants will then mill around and find out who matches each statement.

Index Cards
Give people index cards. Have them write out the answers to the questions you ask (i.e. favorite food, why they came to this school/joined this organization, what they are most nervous about, the funniest thing that has happened to them, etc.). Have the participants hand in the cards, shuffle them, then have the leader read the answers while the participants try to guess who wrote them.

Stems
The facilitator provides an open-ended sentence to start a discussion (i.e. The thing I am most excited/nervous about is __________, The funniest thing that happened to be in my first year of college is _________, etc.). This can be used for discussion or in writing. This can be discussed in pairs, as a group, or used in self-assessment. These stems may be prepared in a booklet or participants remain with the same partner for all questions on one page, then switch partners for the next page.

Find someone with the same (x) and talk about (y)
This activity gets people moving and discussing! The leader calls out "Find someone with the same ____________ and discuss_________________."
Examples:
birthday in the same month
eye color
same number of siblings
similar size hometown
shoe size
hair color

Then, discuss your summer vacation, favorite food, stress relievers, what you are looking forward to about the upcoming year, etc.

Something Unique
Everyone stands in a horizontal line. The first person steps forward and says something they think is unique about themselves. If others have done the same thing they step forward too. Everyone steps back into the line and the next person announces something unique about themselves and the process is repeated until everyone goes.

Treasures
Have people bring a personal item that is symbolic of part of their life or represents something they value to the next meeting. Each person shows the group the treasure they brought and talk about it. 

Yurt Circle
You'll need an even number of participants for this activity. Form a large circle with everyone holding hands and facing the center of the circle. Spread out so that group members are spread apart. Number off - "in" and "out." At the same time, the "ins" slowly lean in and the "outs" slowly lean out. Each participant needs to keep their feet set in place, their knees locked and their body straight as a board. Switch.

Lap Sit
Form a tight circle, shoulder to shoulder. Turn so everyone faces the back of the person in front of them. Take one step towards the center of the circle. Simultaneously sit on the kness of the person behind you.

Trust Roll
Stand in a tight circle, shoulder to shoulder, facing the center. A person stands in the center and is rolled around inside the circle by the members. >It is important that the person in the center keeps their feet together, their knees locked, their body straight as a board, their arms folded over their chests, and their eyes closed.

Working with Others
Go to this handout. People complete the form and then discuss it with those they work with most closely.