2-Minute Intros

Overview

Each person will introduce themselves to their partner for 2 minutes. The person talking can tell their partner anything they want about themselves. The goal is to keep *talking* for the full 2 minutes. You are the world’s foremost expert on YOU! The other person’s job is to *listen* without saying anything. Pay attention, be engaged, but no talking. Then you switch!

Time

5 minutes to organize, 4 minutes of intros, 3-5 minutes of discussion

Instructions:

1. Break into pairs. The only restriction is that you must find a partner that you have not met prior to this class.
2. Each person will introduce themselves to their partner for 2 minutes until the Professor’s timer goes off. The person talking will can tell their partner anything they want about themselves (major, hobbies, job, favorite movies/games/songs, anything at all). The goal is to keep talking for the full 2 minutes until the timer is up.
3. Remember that you are the world’s foremost expert on YOU! You can talk about your family. Do you play sports? What movies do you like?
4. The other person’s job is to *listen* without saying anything. Pay attention, be engaged, but no talking. This is harder than it sounds.  
5. Before beginning, each pair has to decide which person will go first.
6. Once everyone is ready, the first 2 minute timer will start.
7. When the timer goes off, the pairs switch roles and the other person introduces themselves until the next 2-minute timer goes off.
8. Discuss the experience as a group. What did you notice?

Instructor Notes / Suggestions

I usually use this on the first day of class, after going over the syllabus. It helps wake students up, and it’s low stakes: they work in pairs, no group share-out.

Sometimes it takes a little encouragement to get students paired up and ready. Before you begin, go around the room and ask the pairs one at a time who is going first.

While the intros are going on, circulate the room, listening in and helping out any pairs that have fallen silent.

After the activity, we have a short discussion about it. It varies, but some questions I like are:

• What did you think of this activity?
• Was it easy or hard to talk for 2 minutes? Are you surprised to know it was actually only 90 seconds?
• Was it easy or hard to listen without talking?
• What is the point of this? Why do you think I chose to use class time for it?
• Has the atmosphere in the room changed since we started?

Talk a bit about the importance of the social/interpersonal aspects of the class in helping them be successful, and encourage them to make connections. 

Usually when we continue things feel a little more at ease in the room!

Categories

Noticing, Curiosity, Connection

Contributor

Prof. Jonas Reitz
Department of Mathematics
City Tech – CUNY

Image Source

“Horizontal graphic illustration of a two people, one person speaking the other listening for featured image, blue and orange palette” Image GeneratorGPT May 30, 2025, 06_21_32 PM