It’s no secret that 2020 and 2021 have left a lot of people clamoring for social activities while we’ve been on lockdown. We’ve spent over a year in isolation, so it’s only natural to be feeling some cabin fever. As life gets back to normal, many people are looking for fun and entertaining ways to engage with close friends and relatives.
If you want to plan an unforgettable night out, then you have to make an escape room part of your agenda. What is an escape room? Read on to learn everything you need to know!
An Escape Room Lets You Escape Reality
An escape room is a simulated experience in which you and a group of people attempt to solve a mystery in less than sixty minutes in order to be released from the room. It’s a completely immersive experience free from the distractions we struggle with in our lives.
Escape rooms have a number of different themes. Some are just a simple room with puzzles to solve, but you will also find rooms with exciting themes like murder mysteries, bomb threats, or a spy game. There is an escape room to meet everyone’s tastes!
You’ll have to utilize a variety of problem-solving skills in order to get out. For example, you might have to solve a puzzle using basic math skills, fill in the blank on letter puzzles, find physical pieces of evidence in the room, or suss out hidden patterns throughout the room. Every object in the room is a potential clue, so leave no stone unturned!
What If My Team Isn’t All in One Place?
Traditional escape rooms are an in-person experience where your team is all in one place. It’s super fun, but it doesn’t allow you to team up or connect with people who aren’t in the same place as you.
Thankfully, you can select an online escape room experience to allow friends, family, or co-workers from across the globe to lend a hand! All you need to do is find an escape room online with an experience that appeals to your group and then schedule a time to meet up.
It’ll work just like an in-person escape room, except you can complete it from the comfort of your living room couch!
Brush Up on the Back Story
Long before you enter the escape room, you’re going to get information about the room. Every bit of information that you receive, from the room description to the backstory you get at the beginning of the experience is a clue. Be sure to keep as much information as possible to help you figure out what you’re looking for.
The pressure of time can make it easy to forget key elements that you heard at the beginning of the experience. Consider taking notes at the beginning to help you refresh your memory as you move through the simulation.
Collaboration Is Key
The whole point of an escape room is to work with your team to solve your way out of the room within 60 minutes. In order to be successful, you’re going to need to put your heads together!
Engage your team in problem-solving activities, and let everyone work on different aspects of the room that play to their strengths. Have a friend that loves math and logic? Have them work on those specific elements while you search for physical clues.
You can’t do this on your own, so if you have a team that is less than enthused, you’re going to have a harder time getting out.
Stay Positive
Some escape rooms can be quite difficult, and it’s easy to get disheartened when you’re struggling with the puzzles. The best way to solve the mystery is to stay positive!
Remember that this is mean to be a fun experience, and it’s not the end of the world if you can’t figure every single puzzle out. We all have our own strengths. Simply let the frustration roll off of you and keep working!
Why You Should Experience an Escape Room
You know what an escape room is all about, but you might still be wondering why you should try your hand at one.
Apart from being a ton of fun, there are a lot of reasons you should participate in an escape room experience! First, they are an excellent team-building exercise for work groups since you have to work collaboratively to solve the mystery. They’re also a fantastic way for you to sharpen your logic and problem-solving skills.
Once you solve one, you’ll probably have a hankering to solve even more advanced rooms!
Are You Actually Locked In?
Absolutely not!
Part of the fun of escape rooms is that it feels like you’re actually locked in, but in reality, you’re free to leave whenever you want. If you have a personal emergency, or you feel like that particular room is just not up your alley, then you can ask to be let out.
To avoid having to abandon your escape room, do some research on each experience beforehand. Most escape room venues have different experiences available, and they can be as easy or as difficult as you would. If you’re just getting started, or if you have younger members on your team, then consider picking a room that’s appropriate for everyone’s skill level.
What Is an Escape Room? Fun for Everyone!
What is an escape room? It’s a great way to spend time with your favorite people while also exercising your problem-solving skills. Throw in a few people with a penchant for solving a mystery (hello, true-crime podcast fans) and you have a recipe for a truly memorable night out!
Are you looking for more great ways to bond with your friends or co-workers as we move into life post-COVID? We’ve got you covered. Check out the rest of our blog for tons of fantastic ideas!
