Breaking the ice

As students finish school, a whole new world unfolds. How do colleges make sure that new students get to know each other and relax?

School was a phase where, after having spent several years, one has gained a degree of comfort. Stepping into college means sailing on unchartered territory. Students are often intimidated by the thought of entering this new and vital phase of their life. It’s a whole new world for them, quite different from their school where they were given clear instructions about what to do and what not to do. This calls for an ice- breaking session where they can shed their initial fears and adapt themselves to the new atmosphere.

Ice-breaking sessions could involve a task or an interactive activity that enables students to break out of their shell. There could be some students who do not enjoy taking part in them, and these are the ones who require the sessions the most.

“Teachers have a knack of identifying the shy and reluctant ones based on the experience they have gained over the years. We use our power of persuasion to let students come out of their inhibitions and make them individuals who can interact with people and build socialising skills,” says Asha Sharath, an English teacher. Apart from this, the activities help in developing various soft skills such as interpersonal skills, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, team-building skills and so on. It helps one understand problem-based learning. Ice-breaking sessions are designed to help students relax, get to know one another and also to energise them. In addition, they help students form random and informal groups to break up cliques in a fun and informative way.

Shed inhibitions

Mostly, while entering the college campus on their first day, students either have too many preconceived notions or none at all. The process of making them feel at home varies from institution to institution as per their requirements. Colleges such as Women’s Christian College, Loyola College and Stella Mary’s College, take their students on a campus tour to familiarise them with the campus and its surroundings. Such measures can help in breaking students’ inhibitions and make them feel more connected to their study place. Also, in this process, they get to interact with fellow students, seniors and professors and learn about how things work around the college. Another interesting activity is ‘Mapping It’, where a big map of the city is given to each student and they are asked to mark their address and name on it. For those who are not from the city, some space is left beyond the border of the map. After this is done, each student can say a few words about their place. This not only encourages them to interact, but also helps them to know about various new places and their unique features.

‘Complete The Sentence’ is another activity in which students form an assembly and each person gets to begin a sentence which has to be completed by the one on their left. This game uses a bit of guess work and mind reading. Sharing their fears can also help as it would let the students seek solutions. The approach of asking each student to come up with a slogan or a motto that they would like to identify themselves with can be a motivational boost too.

Special care

While planning the sessions, it is crucial to keep in mind that the stumbling blocks one faces could be different for different people, as they come from various ethnic groups, cultures and backgrounds. Kavya Santosh, an NRI student, felt that her first day at college was rather confusing. “Students were talking in their vernacular language and bonding over it, whereas I could converse only in English with them. It was then that I felt the need for some official introduction that would help new students to find friends easily sans the initial embarrassment,” she said. For such people, their block zone should be identified and helped with. Inhibition and isolation are common emotions when strangers come together. Hope, fears and expectations build up and it is almost imperative that one overcomes them.

To make the students feel at ease, it is important to break the initial moment of awkwardness. Locating depression points will make it easier for individual students to overcome their awkwardness and work towards free expression.