Breaking The Ice

It is your first time in a new place. You find a new job or move to a new city or it is your first time at a new school. You are a new person with no friends and no one to talk to. You are not certain what to do and how to meet new friends. What do I say? How do I act? Who will want to talk to me? How do I break the ice? Breaking the ice is simply finding the right words to say to start a conversation with someone! So what types of things would you say?

Situations:

There are any number of social situations where it is possible to start a conversation, even with a complete stranger, providing you approach someone respectfully and honestly.

• Your first day at a new job
• Your first day at a new school
• New neighbors
• In the gym
• In a bar/coffee shop/cafe

Some say that there are tricks to use or strategies to follow, but it doesn't need to be that complicated. Starting a conversation can be as simple as asking someone if you can sit next to them, or as direct as telling someone your name. From there, you can continue a conversation. For learners of English however, there are some special challenges, not only in finding the words to say, but also to avoid seeming too direct, or even (unintentionally) impolite. Cultural differences aside, if you consider having a conversation, even with someone you don't know, to be meeting them on the same level, then the most important thing is to have confidence.

Examples:

Situation: your first day at a new job.

You walk in, to a busy office where you know no one. You go to your desk and put your stuff away but now its time to break the ice. You see the coffee station with a few people, a person working at the desk next to you and there are a couple people at the photocopier. So you make your decision which adventure you will choose. So you go over to the coffee station, to start your day off right with a nice cup of java.

You: Hello, how are you? My name is ___________
Person 1: Oh, nice to meet you. Did you just start here?
You: Yeah today is my first day.
Person 2: Your first day, eh! Well I'm Canadian, would you like some coffee!
You: Yes please, that would be great, thanks. So what is it like working here?

Mission accomplished, you have successfully broken the ice, and have started on your way to meeting more people in your new office.