How to Talk to People at a College Party

College can be a great place to meet new friends and develop strong relationships. However, for new college students who are shy, a college party can be an awkward situation. Many find it hard to "mingle" and socialize with people they do not know. There are ways to find people to talk with at a college party that share your same interests.

Things You'll Need

• Good listening skills
• Friendly personality
• Patience

Instructions

1. Observe the party and the conversations going on when you first arrive. If you do not know people at the party, do not feel pressure to entertain them and be "the life of the party." Instead, wander around the room, and keep your ears open, listening to conversations without being intrusive. If you hear a group of people discussing a topic you are interested in, wait for a break in the conversation to introduce yourself and ask if you can join in on their conversation.

2. Look around for people that appear to have the same interests that you do. If you are a sports fan, look for someone wearing a shirt of your favorite sports team, and approach them to start a conversation about the team. You might also find people that are in a class you attend and use that as a common bond to start a conversation.

3. Look for others that are in the same situation as you are, and not involved in conversations. Do not worry, you are not the only person at a college party that is nervous about meeting new people. If you see someone else sitting by themselves, take the first step and introduce yourself. Your group of two could quickly become a group of five or more people involved in a conversation at the college party.

4. Join an activity at the college party you are attending. Many college parties involve activities such as drinking games, or even games that do not involve drinking. Ask someone involved in the game how you can get involved and join in the game they are playing. While playing the game you will get drawn into the conversation or conversations going on during that game.

5. Be open to meeting new people. College is an environment that is truly a melting pot. There will be lots of people from different backgrounds at a college party. Do not allow yourself to become close minded or prejudiced about certain types of people. The more people you are open to talk to, the more conversations you will have.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, everyone is a little bit shy at their first college party, especially if they don't know anyone there. Do not be afraid to take the first step in introducing yourself to someone. Just because they haven't introduced themselves to you doesn't mean they don't want to talk, they might be even more nervous than you are.

• Avoid bragging at a college party. It's not a job interview, and you don't need to impress anyone to start a conversation at a college party. Just be yourself, and you are likely to meet people that you will enjoy having a conversation with.