Pop culture
TV shows, movies, and podcasts are all the rage these days. Spend some time chatting about what everyone’s been watching lately to catch up on the latest popular culture. If there’s something you haven’t seen, take a few recommendations for when you get home. You could say something like, “So, what’s everyone been watching lately?” Or, “I heard about this new podcast on true crime. Has anyone listened to it?”
Wacky internet stories
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen online today? Maybe the elephants at your local zoo made friends with seagulls flying by. Perhaps you’ve discovered a celebrity’s new Instagram account where they post crazy videos. Talk about what you’ve seen online to spark a fun, interesting conversation. Say something like, “Did anyone see the video of the baby otter holding hands with its mom?” Or, “I found the funniest video of Justin Bieber dancing on TikTok.”
Good books
If you’ve read a good book lately, share your review. You can talk about a novel, an autobiography, or even a comic book that you liked. Ask others to chime in with their favorite books or authors to keep the convo going. Try saying something like, “Has anyone read that new Stephen King book? I heard it was really scary.” Or, “I just finished reading The Hobbit. The book is way better than the movie!”
New recipes
Make everyone’s stomachs growl by sharing your favorite recipe. Swap stories about what you made for dinner or your latest and yummiest baked good. Talk about your techniques for picking new recipes or any websites you’ve found that have good ones to try. You could say something like, “I baked the most amazing cookies yesterday. The recipe was super easy, too!” Or, “Has anyone made anything good lately? I feel like I’ve only been eating takeout, and I need some inspiration.”
Travel experiences
Ask everyone to share the craziest place they’ve ever been. You can learn more about other states, cities, and even countries! Don’t be afraid to share some of your own travel stories, too. Bring it up by saying something like, “Where in the world have you experienced the most culture shock?” Or, “Which country has the best food?”
Old memories
Bond over childhood memories or shared nostalgia together. Ask the group about their childhood homes, where they grew up, or what their siblings are like. You never know—you might just have something in common! Ask something like, “So did everyone grow up in the area?” Or, “Are you the oldest, youngest, or middle child?”
Plans for the future
Up and coming plans for the future are always exciting. If any members of the group have fun stuff in the works, ask them about it! They could be moving, switching careers, having kids, or going back to school. You could ask something like, “So, what’s next for you all? What do you have going on?” Or, “I’m thinking of moving to Dallas. Have any of you ever been there?”
Hobbies
People love to talk about what they do in their free time. Ask the group about what they do for fun outside of jobs and responsibilities. If you know the people well, you could even ask them specific questions. For example, you could say, “What have you all been doing for fun?” Or, “I heard that you two have gone boating a lot lately. How’s that been?”
Work experience
Why did everyone choose the career paths that they did? You can ask the group about their first jobs, their degrees, and what they want to do next. Most people spend a lot of time at work, so they usually have a lot to say about it. Try saying something like, “How’d you get into the field of work that you’re in?” Or, “What’s next for everyone’s careers?”
Relationships
Ask about someone’s spouse, parents, or siblings. Get to know a little more about what’s going on in their lives: did their dad just get a promotion? Is their girlfriend moving in with them? You can propose the question to one specific person or to the group. You could say something like, “So, how’s everyone’s family doing?” Or, “Hey, how’s your dad been lately?”
Social connections
Everyone in the group is connected in some way or another. If you aren’t familiar with everyone there, ask how they all know each other. There’s usually a fun story to go along with how people met, and you might even learn something new about your friends. You could say something like, “So, how do you all know each other?” Or, “Brad and I met at a party in college. How do you all know him?”
Hypothetical scenarios
Turn the conversation a little silly by making up what-if questions. It’s always fun to have a few of these in your back pocket. Try asking things like: “If everything was legal for a day, what would you do?” “If you had to live the rest of your life as an animal, which one would you pick?” “Would you rather eat pizza or hot dogs for every meal?”
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