 Hey Psych2Goers, welcome back to our channel. Do you dread small talk? Do you avoid it at all costs? Worry about how to get out of the awkward silence? Well, Psych2Go is here to help you. It can be hard for introverts to enjoy small talk and even if you're not an introvert small talk can be pretty unexciting. So we've gathered a few tips to help you take on small talk. One conversation at a time. Here is how to survive small talk. Number one. Attempt to relax and meditate first. Do you get nervous when small talk begins and you're unsure of what to say next to keep the conversation going? Well, try taking a deep breath and try to relax. There are plenty of people who can become anxious when socializing. If you're one to become anxious before social events, address these feelings. Acknowledge how you're feeling and try to assure yourself. Anything can happen. That means good things along with any mistakes you may be worried about. But odds are no one will remember that little mistake you made at a party one time five years ago, right? Right. Reassurance. Try meditating before an event and relax your body and mind. So when the event does start, you're prepared and calm. Number two. Ask questions. Do you feel nervous when the questions are placed on you? Suddenly, they're asking what you ate for breakfast and you can't remember if it was lasagna or banana salad. Wait, banana salad? Is that even a thing and why would you have lasagna for breakfast? That was last Tuesday's dinner. The point is if you're not looking to talk about yourself too much and the conversation's been on you for quite a while, ask questions about them. Simple, right? But it's true. Show some curiosity and ask about them in their hobbies or if they've seen any of your favorite shows or new shows. Let the talking commence. Number three. Ask follow-up questions. So you've asked some questions, but it's time to really get curious. Ask follow-up questions to keep the conversation going. Do your best to ask questions you're genuinely curious about. For example, a question like, who's your favorite character on the show? We all know the classic, how's your day been? But instead of asking it like it's a polite routine question, dig into your curiosity and sound like you have a soul. You do have one, right? Right, reassurance people. Number four. Ask open-ended questions, too. Have you been asking questions when small talking? Have you been asking follow-up questions? Well, now it's time for open-ended questions. Open your mind and start asking. It's best to avoid just asking yes or no questions or questions they can simply provide a one-word response to. Give them something to chew on. Make them want to think about their answer. If you ask an interesting and open-ended question, perhaps about why they like the character that you just mentioned, they'll have an easier time providing a more elaborative answer. And number five. Avoid only short responses. Have you been asking questions all night? Have you responded to questions with only short responses? It's time to elaborate and get into some fun detail. As much as we're focused on asking questions, it's also extremely important to equally provide some answers yourself. Don't close off your responses. Dive in to the reasons why you chose that answer if appropriate. If someone complements your mood or outfit, explain why you're feeling that way or add where you bought that outfit. Adding an extra sentence or two into your responses to routine questions opens up the conversation and invites the other person in to continue talking. Even if it is only small talk. So how will you handle small talk? Let's hope you handle it with care and ease. Wait, ease and care? Let's just hope that you have a comfortable and fun conversation, and we'll see you next time. We hope you enjoyed this video, and if you did, don't forget to click the like button and share it with a friend. Subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell icon for more content like this. And as always, thanks for watching!