HOW TO TALK TO ANYONE
You went to a party of event where you don’t know anyone? So awkward, right? You kind of just stand there staring at your phone, hoping someone talks to you first. Or maybe you see someone who looks nice, but you have no idea how to start a conversation.
Well, today’s your lucky day! In this article, we’ll give you some seriously helpful tips to take the scare factor out of talking to new people.
Come Up With an Intriguing Opening Line
When you want to start a conversation with someone new, the first thing you need is a good opening line. Don’t sweat it though — it doesn’t have to be anything crazy clever. Just friendly and relevant to the situation.
For example, if you’re at a concert, you could say:
“I’m so glad I bought tickets to this show! Have you seen this band play live before?”
Or if you’re in class, notice something about the person sitting near you:
“I love your laptop sticker! The Office is such a great show.”
It can even be as simple as introducing yourself:
“Hi, I’m Jesse! I don’t think we’ve met yet.”
An opening line like these gives the other person an easy opportunity to respond.
Keep Asking Questions to Get Them Talking
Okay, you initiated a conversation. Nice work! But now you have to keep it going.
The trick here is to ask lots of questions. People love talking about themselves, so keep the focus on learning more about them.
“What other kinds of music do you like?”
“Have you traveled anywhere fun lately?”
“What do you like to do on weekends?”
Don’t just stick to plain old yes or no questions though. Ask questions that require some thought:
“What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?”
“If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?”
“What’s your favorite way to spend a Saturday?”
See the difference? These questions encourage them to share stories and interesting details. Show that you’re genuinely interested in what they have to say.
Discover Shared Interests You Can Bond Over
Chatting goes so much smoother when you find things you have in common.
Maybe you’re both wearing shirts with the same band on them. Or sitting nearby each other in math class. Or you went to the same elementary school. Point out these similarities to establish a connection:
“Looks like we’re both Huge Hip Hop Heads based on our shirts!”
“I hate algebra too. At least we can struggle through it together.”
“No way, you went to Washington Elementary? I did too!”
Seeking out shared contexts and interests gives you automatic conversation topics you’re both engaged in. It helps you relate to each other right off the bat.
Share a Little Bit About Yourself Too
While most of the conversation should be about learning about the other person, make sure to open up and share some personal details too.
This makes the conversation feel balanced, not one-sided. Sprinkle in bits about your interests, stories, opinions here and there:
“I’m obsessed with taking my dog to the park. He loves running around off-leash.”
“Over winter break I binge-watched all of Stranger Things. So thrilling!”
“Math is definitely my worst subject. I barely passed the last test.”
Swap personal details back and forth to get to know each other, not just have them talking about themselves the whole time.
Avoid Serious or Sensitive Topics
When chatting with someone new, you want to keep things upbeat and positive.
Save sensitive topics like religion, politics, or money for later once you know them better. You want to leave them with a good impression of you, not offend them accidentally.
Stick to light and universally enjoyable conversation starters, like:
- Movies, TV shows, books
- Favorite apps and websites
- School, college plans, future careers
- Funny stories about friends or family
- Weekend activities, hobbies, sports
Remember — friendly and positive! Serious debates can wait for later.
Wrap Up the Chat Smoothly
You’ve had a nice conversation, but how do you gracefully wrap it up when it’s time to part ways?
First, look for cues the other person needs to leave. Are they glancing at their phone? Letting responses trail off? Seems distracted? Take the hint!
When you sense this, start to wind down the chat:
“It was so nice talking with you!”
“Don’t want to keep you any longer, but I had fun chatting.”
“Well I should let you get back to your day. Great meeting you though!”
If you need to leave, politely excuse yourself:
“I should head out to my next class, but this was really fun!”
End the conversation on a positive note. And if it feels right, suggest hanging out again:
“We should exchange numbers and set up a Mario Kart tournament!”
Leaving them with an open invitation makes it clear you genuinely enjoyed the conversation.
Summary
That’s it — you’ve got all the skills you need to start talking to strangers!
Here’s a quick recap:
- Open with a friendly line — Greet them or make an observation
- Ask questions — Keep them talking about themselves
- Find common ground — Bond over shared contexts and interests
- Share personal details — Sprinkle in bits about yourself
- Avoid sensitive stuff — Stick to positive subjects
- End smoothly — Wrap up on a high note
It might feel uncomfortable at first. But the more you practice having conversations with random people, the easier it gets.
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