We’ve all been there. Whether it was back in the good ol’ days when we sat in a circle at GBO, on the first day of discussion or at that first club meeting, hearing the group leader utter “Oh, and tell us a fun fact about yourself!” triggered our fight-or-flight response. For some, it also sent us into an existential crisis — who am I? Is there anything actually interesting about me to share?
As dramatic as it may sound, fun facts are the bane of my existence at every introduction. I’d rather be presented with a more structured question about something more superficial and generic because why should I divulge facts about myself to these people I don’t know? What even is a “fun” fact anyways? Is telling people which city I’m from a “fun” thing?
We at the Clog understand how stressful this situation is, so to help you out for that next unbearably awkward breakout room where you’ll have to share fun facts, consider using the ones we came up with. You are 100% guaranteed to sound like the most interesting person in the world and impress everyone in the room with a simple sentence.
1. “I climbed Mt. Everest with my dad when I was 10 years old.”
2. “I own a small business, and it’s quite successful.”
3. “I made it to the Olympic trials for swimming.”
4. “I can touch my tongue to the tip of my nose!”
5. “I foster kittens in my free time.”
6. “I was on Chopped Junior in 2015. I lost.”
7. “I have my own vegetable garden and chickens.”
8. “I’ve visited every state in the United States. My favorite one is still California.”
9. “I love knitting. I knitted a sweater for my mom once.”
10. “I earned my pilot’s license last year.”
To make these fun facts seem truly authentic, don’t forget to put a finger to your chin and aimlessly look around the room while pretending to think about which fact you’re going to say. And don’t worry about sounding like you’re lying. There are so many diverse, interesting people at UC Berkeley that all these fun facts sound believable! You’re now over-prepared to face your next ice breaker event with confidence. Good luck Bears!