If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s how much hanging out with your friends is so important. Bringing the band back together for a worthwhile experience that will help you to reconnect is just what the doctor ordered!
With everything from your local restaurant to Escape Room shut for the best part of a year, there’s never been a better time to catch up than now.
With that in mind, here’s our guide to getting the most out of your team as you take on your next game:
You’re in it together
Connection is all part of the human experience. When you are away from other people for a long time, everything from your mental health to confidence can all be affected. You forget how to simply interact, and word vomit has become your new normal.
Being free from lockdown is one thing, but re-establishing the broken connections with the people you love and care about is all part of the recovery process. Fortunately, there is no room for awkward exchanges and the world’s troubles in an Escape Room. As soon as you step through the door, you and your team need to work together to the endgame: unlocking the door.
No longer are you fidgeting through a series of Zoom calls? No longer are you simply waving from the pavement. Instead, you are reunited in a united cause that will help rebuild your estranged friendships. That’s a win if you ask me!
Talking is for winners
Remember the last time you had a good chin wag with your bestie in the flesh? Well, now you have to pull all of your skillsets into the fore and get talking. Any seemingly insignificant detail, from the dashes and dots scratched on the desk to the shady-looking wardrobe in the corner, might just be your ticket out.
So, communicate. The most successful game players are the ones who leave no stone unturned and talk about each of their findings. That doesn’t mean having a lengthy conversation. Instead, say what you see. The devil is always in the detail. Don’t forget!
Establish a leader
Some of us are natural leaders. Speaking confidently comes with ease, and listening to what others have to say is something you excel at. Then, there are the helpers. Those that pick up the bread crumbs and can often look at the bigger picture. You can’t have Sherlock without Watson, after all.
Leaders are those that can take charge in stressful, chaotic situations. Can cut through the nonsense and delegate roles. They motivate and encourage their team members to reach the ultimate goal: victory. Whoever your team leader is, the best candidates are the ones who can coordinate the rest of the team and see skills amongst the clan.
If you are in a smaller group, you may find that the leader/helper role is more fluid. You work as a complementary partnership rather than a one-leader scenario. As you get into the flow of the game, your roles will naturally come out. You may even realize skills in yourself that you have either forgotten or didn’t realize you had in the first place!
The timekeeper
Time is of the essence in an Escape Room. As soon as you close the door behind you, the clock starts ticking. Some rooms won’t have a clock at all to add to the landscape and atmosphere of the game. Others will trickle time-related sounds through the speakers. Although your mobile devices are left in a safe locker, having a watch is allowed and highly recommended.
Having a team player who can keep an eye on the time, as well as keeping the rest of the band motivated for a win, will keep everyone on task and focused.
Never lose sight of the end goal
Click. The door has locked behind you, and suddenly you are faced by an oddly familiar but out of this world set up before your eyes. If it’s your first game, you might struggle to know where to start. So spread out, and look around the room together.
Get one of your team members to read out the game’s synopsis as you start the search. What stands out? What do you need? It could be a code, key, or a series of objects. Notice the lampshade on the desk? What is it lighting up? There’s a chest in the corner. Does it open?
You get the picture.
Wherever your game takes you, always keep the end goal in mind. Together, you and your team are working to solve a mystery or crack the case.
What will you do to ensure you get there before time escapes you?
Everything really is better with friends. Taking on an Escape Room not only brings the band back together, but it encourages broken bonds to be fixed and to create new memories that will last forever. Where will your next adventure take you?