Dare to go phone-free and find time to connect with those around you
How well do you really know those that you live with? Other than sharing a roof, what are some characteristics or qualities that you all have in common? And what are the experiences that make each of us unique? Far too often, we ask the same ol' inquiries regularly. “How was your day” quickly becomes a colorless, common question that we play on repeat (so often, that we rarely receive genuine responses).
Now in 2020, the innovation of immediacy has taken over our everyday lives. Socialization skills have been outweighed by screen-time. Instead of sitting down and having intriguing conversations with your neighbor, cell phone notifications have become one of the few things actually being noticed.
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly slowed our fast-paced society, and we need to find opportunities among the unfamiliar. During this time of social distancing, we must accept our current, uncontrollable circumstances, focus, and make the most out of how we spend our newfound free time. Although we may not be able to gather in groups at large, we can still hone-in on the connections we make with the people in our own homes. This is our chance to dive more in-depth than the quick “hi” and “bye' polite pleasantries that have inadvertently overwhelmed our relationships. This is the moment to seek substance and advance the quality of our associations.
In the spirit of finding normalcy in getting to know one another again, below, you will find a list of dinner table questions to cater to your curiosities. These questions are geared to push you away from the automatic answers that we've grown accustomed to, and consequently pull you closer together.
- What was your first job?
- Who is the most famous person you've ever met?
- If you could pick up a new skill in an instant, what would it be?
- Who is someone you really admire?
- What's your earliest memory?
- What made you smile recently?
- What's your favorite place you've ever visited?
- What's your favorite family tradition?
- What's something new you want to do this year?
- What's the best advice you've ever heard?
- How do you like your eggs?
- Do you collect anything?
- What's your favorite breakfast cereal?
- What is your most-used emoji?
- What was the worst style choice you've ever made?
- If you were a wrestler, what would be your entrance theme song?
- If you could bring back any fashion trend, what would it be?
- If you had a late-night talk show, who would you invite as your first guest?
- If a movie was made of your life, what genre would it be and who would play you?
- If you absolutely had to sing karaoke, what would be your go-to song?
- If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
- If you were left on a deserted island with either your worst enemy or no one, which would you choose? Why?
- If aliens landed on Earth tomorrow and offered to take you home with them, would you go?
- What would the title of your autobiography be?
- You're going sail around the world, what's the name of your boat?
- If you could add anyone to Mount Rushmore, who would it be and why?
- As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
- What fictional world or place would you like to visit?
- What is your favorite time of the day, and why?
- What breed of dog would you be?
- If you had a time machine, would you go back in time or into the future?
- Are you a morning person or a night person?
- What's the weirdest food you've ever eaten?
- If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose, and why?
- If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be?
- If you could choose any two famous people to have dinner with, who would they be?
- If you could be any animal in the world, what animal would you choose to be?
- If you could rename yourself, what name would you pick?
- What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?
- What is the strangest thing you used to believe as a child?
Print out your own conversation cards here Conversation Cards.
Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.