 Networking. That elusive thing that adults do. That word those darn extroverts keep throwing around. For us introverts, it's a cursed word that only brings destruction and terror. To never be spoken or mentioned in our introvert circle. Unfortunately, our circle is not the only circle in the world. And in this world, you're going to need to network. But wait, what is networking? Networking is the process of making personal connections with people. It can be done to increase your network of friends or your career network. The more people you know, the more resources you have. Unfortunately, networking requires talking to people. That's why it can be so scary for introverts. Now that you know what it is, how can introverts get out of their circle and into the network? You gotta get the conversation going. But leave behind all that how's the weather stuff. Number 1. Talk about what brought you together. Maybe it's a party. Talk to your new connection about the why or how you got there. If you find out you have some mutual friends, try some gossip. But maybe that doesn't work. That's okay. Just try something else. Number 2. Try and find a deep, solid similarity. Not something like, I like pizza and puppies. Everyone likes those. Unless they're allergic. Or an alien. Or just someone not worth talking to. Try to really identify something that opens up some common ground for a discussion. Race, nationality, generation, even political or religious topics can work if the time is right. Keep things light, and always smile. And if you can, get really deep and personal. You're doing well, but you gotta think fast because that evil dreaded lull in conversation is coming up. What do you do? Number 3. Ask some follow up questions. Any type of opinion they spit at you, ask to clarify. For example, you have a dog. Great. What's its name? Is it a boy or a girl? Oh, you believe dogs should be gender fluid? That's great. When did you start believing that gender shouldn't be imposed on dogs? Etc. Try to get more personal and more philosophical as you go on to avoid any more lulls. But also remember that silence is natural. Don't panic if there's a pause. It's a great thing to keep in mind with our next point. Number 4. If you're talking, keep talking. If you think you're talking too much, just ask. If they say you are or you feel like you are, ask a question to change it up. Questions are a great way to get the pressure off you. Maintain the conversation and avoid awkwardness. Just avoid one word. Close-ended questions like, do you want coffee or water? Finally, we decided we were going to put these tips to the test. So the author of this article tried out these tips when they went out to dinner with four people they were going to go to college with the next year, whom they had never met before. They mostly relied on tip number one and talked about college. Cover the basics when you first meet people. Avoid the cliched conversation starters and the discussion was pretty natural. Asking, what about you was a valid way to relieve the pressure if they ever felt like they were talking for too long. Remember, conversations aren't always easy or stimulating, especially at the beginning. But once you hit it off, it's fun. Just relax. If you've got more tips, feel free to comment them down below. And don't forget to increase your network by subscribing to our channel.