5 Ways to Use the Halal Haram Ratio Game for MSA Welcome Week
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Every MSA welcome week has the same problem: a room full of people who don't know each other yet, and an icebreaker game that everyone's played four times already. Here's a better option.
1. Use it as the main event, not a warm-up
Don't bury this at the end of a meeting agenda — it works best as the centerpiece of a social. Give it 45–60 minutes and let people actually sink into the debates.
2. Split into tables of 4–8
Bigger turnout means more tables, not one giant circle. Smaller groups mean everyone actually gets to vote and defend their answer instead of watching from the back.
3. Mix new and returning members at every table
Seed each table with at least one returning e-board member or older student. It keeps the debate moving and helps new members feel like they can jump in.
4. Let the etiquette card set the tone up front
Every deck ships with a rules card covering the 3 etiquettes of play — read it out loud before the first round. It keeps things fun instead of tense, especially with people who don't know each other yet.
5. Don't rush past the disagreements
The best welcome-week moments happen when two new members land on opposite sides of a vote and have to actually talk it out. That's the icebreaker — let it run.
Planning a bigger or more mixed event — Arab Game Night with non-Muslim friends, a broader cultural club social? Check out our sibling game The Arab Card Game, built for any Arab or Arab-adjacent crowd.