8 Things About Me
8 Things About Me is a get-to-know-you exercise in which each player shares eight personal facts, preferences, or stories with the group. The structure encourages vulnerability and self-disclosure beyond surface-level introductions. It builds ensemble trust and gives scene partners real material to draw on in later work.
Structure
Setup
- Players sit in a circle or in a configuration where everyone can see each other.
- Each player shares eight things about themselves with the group.
- No preparation or prompts are given: players choose what to share.
The Eight Things Structure
- The number is deliberate: eight facts require players to go beyond the surface information they would share in a normal introduction.
- After the obvious biographical facts are used, players must reach for more specific, unusual, or personal details.
- The exercise does not specify what kind of things to share. Players determine their own level of vulnerability.
What It Builds
- Ensemble knowledge: scene partners who know real facts about each other have material to draw on.
- Psychological safety: the act of sharing beyond the surface signals that the group is a safe place for disclosure.
- Trust: the vulnerability required by eight facts builds connection more quickly than polite introductions.
Facilitation Notes
- The facilitator should participate first, modeling the range and depth the exercise can reach.
- There should be no commentary from the group during each player's eight things. The group listens.
- A brief group response (applause, acknowledgment) after each player finishes is optional but useful.
Variations
- The group votes on which of the eight things to explore in more depth.
- Players must share one thing that is embarrassing, one that is unusual, and one that not many people know about them.
How to Teach It
How to Explain It
"Eight things about yourself. In order. Don't plan them. When you get past the easy ones, keep going. The eighth one is usually the most interesting."
Common Notes
- Watch for players who use all eight slots on safe, biographical information. Gently encourage players to reach past the obvious.
- The facilitator should not prompt or suggest content. The choice of what to share is part of the exercise.
- Peer disclosure norms set the depth of the exercise. If the first player shares deeply, subsequent players tend to match or exceed that depth.
Common Pitfalls
- Players treat the exercise as a list of credentials rather than a genuine self-disclosure.
- The group responds with commentary or questions after each fact, interrupting the exercise's rhythm.
- Players under-share, covering all eight spots with impersonal or public information.
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Related Exercises
8 Things
8 Things is a fast listing exercise and short-form game in which one player jumps into the middle of a circle, gets a category, and names eight things in that category while the rest of the group counts and cheers. The pressure is not about accuracy. The point is to answer quickly, stay supported, and keep the mind moving before self-editing can take over.
A Truth about Me
Participants share personal truths in a structured format, building vulnerability, trust, and authentic connection within the group.
Story of Your Name
Story of Your Name is an icebreaker exercise in which each player shares the real or imagined story behind their name. The personal disclosure creates immediate intimacy within the group and establishes a norm of vulnerability. The exercise demonstrates how personal specificity generates audience engagement more effectively than generic invention.
Circle of Extraordinary Coincidences
Circle of Extraordinary Coincidences is an exercise in which players share personal stories and discover surprising connections, overlaps, and coincidences between them. The revelations build ensemble bonds and provide rich personal material for future scene work. The exercise demonstrates that truth is often stranger and more compelling than invention.
Count Off
Count Off is a group focus exercise in which players attempt to count to a target number, one person speaking at a time, without any predetermined order or pattern. If two or more players speak simultaneously, the count restarts from one. No gestures, signals, or eye contact are permitted to coordinate turns. The exercise trains group sensitivity, the ability to read collective impulse, and the patience to find the right moment to contribute. Count Off reveals the ensemble's current level of attunement: a group that can consistently reach high numbers has developed a shared awareness that transfers directly to scene work.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). 8 Things About Me. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/8-things-about-me
The Improv Archive. "8 Things About Me." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/8-things-about-me.
The Improv Archive. "8 Things About Me." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/8-things-about-me. Accessed March 17, 2026.
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