People gradually arrived, and with nothing else to do, I went round knocking on everyone's door in my building, gathering people a la Pied Piper of Hamlin as I went and met two of my best friends like this (although I suppose I had thirty two foul attempts!). This is definitely a good ice breaker though, and if you feel nervous, remember, everyone else does too, so just try to be chatty and friendly. It also gave me a lot of people to talk to that night, at the first drink in the hall bar. Meeting six hundred in one go definitely makes you overwhelmed by names, and most I'll never remember, but it all starts somewhere, and from experience, it's usually in the bar!