About a year ago, I came across a card game that completely transformed the way I viewed my friendships, understood my friends, and invested time, thought, and care into my relationships. The game is called “We’re Not Really Strangers.” Essentially, this card game was created with the purpose to create or deepen relationships between people. There are three levels of questions and each level dives deeper into personal goals, ideas, fears, characteristics, and mindsets. The questions in each of the levels are so well crafted and allowed not only my friendships to deepen, but also my perspective on life. People playing the game take turns pulling cards from the pile, asking what the cards say to others, or sometimes answering them. At the end of the game, there’s a final card that asks each person to write a little message to another person playing the game which you open separately. It’s a great way to get to know the people in your life on a deeper level, find out things about yourself you might’ve subconsciously buried, or even create new friendships with others. Here’s a summary of each level:
- LEVEL ONE: PERCEPTION
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This level is all about identifying and sharing perceptions of the people you’re playing the game with. The cards in this level serve as great icebreakers and really open up to everyone who’s playing the game. Here are some of the questions and prompts included in this level:Â
- What subject do you think I thrived in at school? Did I fail any?
- What compliment do you think I hear the most?
- What does my phone wallpaper tell you about me?
- Do I remind you of anyone?
- Finish the sentence: Just by looking at you I’d think ________.
- What about me is most strange or unfamiliar to you?
- What does my Instagram tell you about me?
- WILDCARD: Make an assumption about me.
- What was your first impression of me?
- As a child, what do you think I wanted to be?
- WILDCARD: Write down something others would never guess about you just by looking at you. Compare answers.
- What do my shoes tell you about me?
- Who do you think my celebrity crush is?
- What’s the first thing you noticed about me?
- LEVEL TWO: CONNECTION
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Level two is all about forming connections with others by getting to know each other’s perspectives, dreams, and fears. It takes a step deeper into the conversation and has more serious questions. Here are some of the questions and prompts included in this level:
- What lesson took you the longest to learn?
- When was the last time you surprised yourself?
- WILDCARD: Show the first photo in your camera roll. Explain.
- What is your first love’s name and what is the reason you fell in love with them?
- What is a dream you’ve let go of?
- Are you lying to yourself about anything?
- What’s the most pain you’ve ever been in that wasn’t physical?
- WILDCARD: Both players write the three most important things in life to you (30 seconds) Compare.
- What are you still trying to prove to yourself?
- What question are you trying to answer most in your life right now?
- What is something you wouldn’t want to change about yourself?
- What is a compliment you wish you received more frequently?
- What am I most qualified to give advice about?
- LEVEL THREE: REFLECTION
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Level three is focused on reflecting on the conversations from levels one and two and vocalizing major and minor takeaways. This level really ties everything in the game together and ensures that the conversations and connections continue way past the final card. Here are some of the questions and prompts included in this level:Â
- What has this conversation taught you about yourself?
- What do I need to hear right now?
- WILDCARD: Write down a goal for this year. Fold & exchange. Hold each other accountable.
- How do our personalities complement each other?
- Based on what you know about me, do you have any Netflix recommendations?
- What do you admire most about me?
- What about me is hardest for you to understand?
- Based on what you learned about me, does my social media accurately reflect who I am? Why or why not?
- What do you recommend I let go of if anything?
- WILDCARD: Give a compliment you don’t think they hear enough.
- What about me surprised you?
- How would you describe me to a stranger?
- When this game is over, what will you remember about me?
“We’re Not Really Strangers” was the match that sparked a lot of deep connections and conversations between my friends and me. We had so many meaningful tangent conversations that ran late into the night based on the questions in this game. The slogan of the game is “Come curious. Leave connected.” This definitely rings true. The conversations and hangouts following this game were so much more meaningful, honest, and sweet between my friends and me. I hope this game can be a fun, intentional gift to you and your friendships.
