creative writing about meeting someone new

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meeting someone - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

• a first date
• an unusual way to meet someone
• Athletic Meet
• board meeting
• conference call
• international meetings
• introducing someone
• making arrangements to meet up
• meeting you
• online dating
• revisiting a place
• waiting for a date
• welcoming someone

When you meet your other half, even if you are entire as an indivual, there is a sense that you still add up to one, as if 1 +1 somehow equalled 1. Perhaps meeting someone is kind meeting sum-one.

Meeting someone new is a divine pleasure. Regardless of how things turn out, I love the dance that begins. The most important idea is to be able to get a true feeling for who they are over a few weeks and months without ever forming an opinion of them. You let them develop as a old polaroid photograph, nice and slow. Perhaps they are a life long friend, a lovable rouge or a person too damaged to give in an emotionally warm and nurturing way. So, my new friend, all I can say is I am glad we met.

Meeting someone gives that me-ting, that tingle of joy. I love it. I love getting together with old friends and new, chatting and passing the time in these sweet bonds of friendship.

Meeting friends online was a step up from conversations with the mirror but not much. Every group self selected to become a crazy echo chamber. There was no loyalty, no real life connection, yet everyone craved it like a drug. If you didn't have insane amounts of "likes" who were you anyway?

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Quotes about meeting new people

Every person you meet has something valuable to teach you.

Life becomes richer with every new connection you make.

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and meet new people.

There’s a whole world of perspectives waiting to be discovered through new encounters.

Friendship begins with a simple ‘hello’.

Opening yourself up to meeting new people is like opening a door to endless possibilities.

Every new meeting is a chance for growth and personal development.

New people bring new stories to our lives, enriching the tapestry of our existence.

We are all connected, and meeting new people is a reminder of that interconnectedness.

Take a chance on meeting someone new – you never know how they’ll impact your life.

Meeting new people is an adventure. Embrace it!

Find beauty in the diversity of the people you meet.

Each new person you meet expands your circle of influence.

The more you open yourself up to meeting new people, the more opportunities will come your way.

Meeting new people helps you see the world through different lenses.

Embrace the unknown when meeting new people – it’s where the magic happens.

New connections can lead to unexpected collaborations and creative breakthroughs.

Every new person you meet is a potential lifelong friend.

Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself – you never know who you might meet.

Meeting new people is a reminder that the world is full of endless possibilities.

New encounters can challenge your assumptions and broaden your perspectives.

Each new person you meet has the potential to inspire you in ways you never thought possible.

Your network is your net worth – invest in meeting new people.

Don’t wait for life to bring new people into your path – seek them out and make the first move.

Meeting new people is like adding new colors to an already vibrant painting.

The more people you meet, the more stories you collect, and the richer your life becomes.

You’ll never know what you might discover about yourself through meeting new people.

Step outside your comfort zone and embrace the power of new connections.

Every new person you meet is an opportunity for growth and self-improvement.

There’s an invisible thread that connects us all, and meeting new people reminds us of this universal connection.

Don’t let fear of rejection hold you back from meeting new people – the rewards far outweigh the risks.

The world is full of fascinating individuals waiting to be discovered through new encounters.

Meeting new people helps us break out of our echo chambers and discover different perspectives.

You never know how meeting someone new will change the course of your life.

The best way to expand your horizons is by meeting people who challenge your beliefs.

Every person you meet carries a unique story within them – take the time to listen and learn.

When you open yourself up to meeting new people, the universe conspires to bring them into your life.

Meeting new people is a reminder that there’s always more to learn and discover.

Great things happen when you connect with new people who share your passions.

Remember, every successful connection began with a simple introduction.

Don’t limit yourself by sticking to what’s familiar – go out and meet someone new.

Meeting new people fuels your curiosity and ignites your sense of wonder.

It’s through meeting new people that we truly learn about ourselves.

Every person you meet is an opportunity to practice empathy and understanding.

Life is too short to not make new friends and connections along the way.

Expand your social circle and watch your world blossom.

Meeting new people is like discovering hidden gems in the sea of humanity.

The best kind of education is gained through meeting people from different walks of life.

Be curious about the people you meet – you never know what fascinating stories they hold.

An open heart and mind are the keys to unlocking the incredible potential of meeting new people.

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How To Avoid Awkwardness When Meeting Someone New

Meeting someone new can be scary. We often rely on established social cues to communicate with those around us, and we tend to build our most intimate relationships within familiar environments — school, extra-curricular activities, or a place of worship. But social cues can’t cover everything.

As we grow older, our networks expand and we find ourselves entering new dynamics. Plus first impressions can make a big deal in our adult lives, determining the path of our careers, friendships, and romantic relationships. These conversations can also be a tool to help us gauge if we want to enter into a new partnership with a collaborator, business coach, friend, or new doctor (the list goes on).

“The phase between the initial introduction and being comfortable with someone can be awkward.”

Whatever the relationship dynamic, the phase between the initial introduction and being comfortable with someone can be awkward. This can be due to a social anxiety disorder, simply not knowing what to say, or feeling out of place. While about 7% of American adults have social anxiety disorder which can make conversations with new people harder, the feeling of being scrutinized or judged when in social settings or doing everyday tasks affects most of us at some point.

Even for those without social anxiety, sparking a conversation may be tricky. According to Dr. Jenny Woo, founder and CEO of Mind Brain Emotion and creator of the  52 Essential Conversations  card game, having a strong conversation depends on all parties involved. She compares a successful conversation to the reciprocity of a game of tennis.

“When you serve and return the ball, going back and forth, that’s what keeps the conversation going,” she explains. “It’s that back-and-forth element that needs to stay on track. If someone digresses or isn’t really answering [the] question or relating to someone talking, then that’s when it gets awkward.”

“While you may assume a strong conversation is simply based on content, it also involves other non-verbal cues — like being an active listener or responding with your body language.”

And while you may assume a strong conversation is simply based on content, it also involves other non-verbal cues — like being an active listener or responding with your body language. This can help the other party know you are interested in the conversation. We’ve all been in a conversation with someone who seems to be distracted or starts looking at their phone. This can easily deter us from wanting to continue the conversation.

So, what can you do to keep the conversation flowing when you meet someone new? Read on for some tips and helpful questions to make you a stronger conversationalist. 🗣️

Practice building confidence beforehand

If you know you’re going to be in a social setting, like a networking event or party, preparing yourself beforehand can ease some nerves. Before attending, take some deep breaths. When feelings of nervousness creep up, acknowledging them and taking the time to calm your body can help.

“As you practice, you’ll find that knowing what to say makes you feel more confident about how to approach another person.”

Once you’re feeling calm, try some mental role-play. Ask yourself what your goal is when attending this event. Are you interested in meeting new people? Do you want to stay to yourself or with a group of familiar faces?

You can look in the mirror to practice your facial expressions and body language. Dr. Woo also recommends coming up with three talking points. These talking points should be about your interests, so you’ll always have something to contribute.

As you practice, you’ll find that knowing what to say makes you feel more confident about how to approach another person. You’ll also be more in tune with your physical responses, signaling your interest to your conversation partner.

Initiate small talk  

Much of the awkwardness from beginning a conversation can come from being unsure of what to say. This is where small talk comes in. Initiating small talk is a great way to get a conversation rolling without seeming too intrusive.

“Much of the awkwardness from beginning a conversation can come from being unsure of what to say.”

Dr. Woo recommends using the HEFE method which stands for Hobbies, Entertainment, Food, and Environment. The acronym is meant to offer talking points for jumping over the initial hurdle of beginning a conversation. This method introduces a lighthearted topic that is relative and can be used in almost any situation.

For example, if you’re on a blind date, an example of the HEFE method in conversation would be to ask the other person about their food preferences before ordering. This can lead to a deeper conversation about their likes or dislikes, personal history, or interest in cuisine. Don’t underestimate the power of artful small talk.

Go with the flow

Sometimes a conversation can deviate from your initial plan. That’s okay! A great conversation may cause you to have to think on your feet. Don’t be afraid to go off-script. This is usually where things get interesting.

“A great conversation may cause you to have to think on your feet.”

There may be moments where you may need to take some time to think about your follow-up questions or answers, especially in an interview setting. This is okay too. A thoughtful question or answer simply shows that you are attentive and a reflective person.

And remember, it isn’t all up to you. If you find the other person interested in continuing the conversation, allow them to drive the conversation while you offer reciprocity when necessary. Eventually, the more experience you have, the easier you’ll find all of this.

To get the ball rolling, here are some conversation-starter questions to add to your repertoire.

Questions to start a conversation

• How has your day been?
• I was just listening to [musical artist]. Who is your favorite musician?
• What show are you watching currently?
• Do you have any recommendations for [drinks, food, seeing art] in this area?
• Where did you grow up? What did you like about it?

Career/Networking

• What is your favorite part of your career?
• How did you get your start?
• Is this what you hoped you’d do for work when you were younger?
• What’s the most challenging part of your job?
• What tips would you give to someone looking to break into your field?

Date-Worthy

• What’s the last book you read?
• What is your love language?
• How would your friends describe you?
• What is the best quality of your closest friend?
• Where is your favorite place to visit?

While not every conversation will go off without a hitch — remember, it always takes two willing and interested parties — knowing that you’ve upheld your end of the deal can lessen the anxiety that comes along with the art of conversation. 

Do you have go-to topics for starting conversations? Are there questions that you love being asked? Let us know your strategies in the comments!

Brianna Robles   is a Brooklyn, NY-based lifestyle freelance writer. Her creative writing platform, Writing My Wrongs, encourages people to share their full story. When she’s not writing, you can find her performing at open mics and trying new restaurants.

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What is Creative Writing? A Key Piece of the Writer’s Toolbox

Not all writing is the same and there’s a type of writing that has the ability to transport, teach, and inspire others like no other.

Creative writing stands out due to its unique approach and focus on imagination. Here’s how to get started and grow as you explore the broad and beautiful world of creative writing!

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is a form of writing that extends beyond the bounds of regular professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature. It is characterized by its emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or poetic techniques to express ideas in an original and imaginative way.

Creative writing can take on various forms such as:

• short stories
• screenplays

It’s a way for writers to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a creative, often symbolic, way . It’s about using the power of words to transport readers into a world created by the writer.

5 Key Characteristics of Creative Writing

Creative writing is marked by several defining characteristics, each working to create a distinct form of expression:

1. Imagination and Creativity: Creative writing is all about harnessing your creativity and imagination to create an engaging and compelling piece of work. It allows writers to explore different scenarios, characters, and worlds that may not exist in reality.

2. Emotional Engagement: Creative writing often evokes strong emotions in the reader. It aims to make the reader feel something — whether it’s happiness, sorrow, excitement, or fear.

3. Originality: Creative writing values originality. It’s about presenting familiar things in new ways or exploring ideas that are less conventional.

4. Use of Literary Devices: Creative writing frequently employs literary devices such as metaphors, similes, personification, and others to enrich the text and convey meanings in a more subtle, layered manner.

5. Focus on Aesthetics: The beauty of language and the way words flow together is important in creative writing. The aim is to create a piece that’s not just interesting to read, but also beautiful to hear when read aloud.

Remember, creative writing is not just about producing a work of art. It’s also a means of self-expression and a way to share your perspective with the world. Whether you’re considering it as a hobby or contemplating a career in it, understanding the nature and characteristics of creative writing can help you hone your skills and create more engaging pieces .

For more insights into creative writing, check out our articles on creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree and is a degree in creative writing worth it .

Styles of Creative Writing

To fully understand creative writing , you must be aware of the various styles involved. Creative writing explores a multitude of genres, each with its own unique characteristics and techniques.

Poetry is a form of creative writing that uses expressive language to evoke emotions and ideas. Poets often employ rhythm, rhyme, and other poetic devices to create pieces that are deeply personal and impactful. Poems can vary greatly in length, style, and subject matter, making this a versatile and dynamic form of creative writing.

Short Stories

Short stories are another common style of creative writing. These are brief narratives that typically revolve around a single event or idea. Despite their length, short stories can provide a powerful punch, using precise language and tight narrative structures to convey a complete story in a limited space.

Novels represent a longer form of narrative creative writing. They usually involve complex plots, multiple characters, and various themes. Writing a novel requires a significant investment of time and effort; however, the result can be a rich and immersive reading experience.

Screenplays

Screenplays are written works intended for the screen, be it television, film, or online platforms. They require a specific format, incorporating dialogue and visual descriptions to guide the production process. Screenwriters must also consider the practical aspects of filmmaking, making this an intricate and specialized form of creative writing.

If you’re interested in this style, understanding creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree can provide useful insights.

Writing for the theater is another specialized form of creative writing. Plays, like screenplays, combine dialogue and action, but they also require an understanding of the unique dynamics of the theatrical stage. Playwrights must think about the live audience and the physical space of the theater when crafting their works.

Each of these styles offers unique opportunities for creativity and expression. Whether you’re drawn to the concise power of poetry, the detailed storytelling of novels, or the visual language of screenplays and plays, there’s a form of creative writing that will suit your artistic voice. The key is to explore, experiment, and find the style that resonates with you.

For those looking to spark their creativity, our article on creative writing prompts offers a wealth of ideas to get you started.

Importance of Creative Writing

Understanding what is creative writing involves recognizing its value and significance. Engaging in creative writing can provide numerous benefits – let’s take a closer look.

Developing Creativity and Imagination

Creative writing serves as a fertile ground for nurturing creativity and imagination. It encourages you to think outside the box, explore different perspectives, and create unique and original content. This leads to improved problem-solving skills and a broader worldview , both of which can be beneficial in various aspects of life.

Through creative writing, one can build entire worlds, create characters, and weave complex narratives, all of which are products of a creative mind and vivid imagination. This can be especially beneficial for those seeking creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Enhancing Communication Skills

Creative writing can also play a crucial role in honing communication skills. It demands clarity, precision, and a strong command of language. This helps to improve your vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, making it easier to express thoughts and ideas effectively .

Moreover, creative writing encourages empathy as you often need to portray a variety of characters from different backgrounds and perspectives. This leads to a better understanding of people and improved interpersonal communication skills.

Exploring Emotions and Ideas

One of the most profound aspects of creative writing is its ability to provide a safe space for exploring emotions and ideas. It serves as an outlet for thoughts and feelings , allowing you to express yourself in ways that might not be possible in everyday conversation.

Writing can be therapeutic, helping you process complex emotions, navigate difficult life events, and gain insight into your own experiences and perceptions. It can also be a means of self-discovery , helping you to understand yourself and the world around you better.

So, whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, the benefits of creative writing are vast and varied. For those interested in developing their creative writing skills, check out our articles on creative writing prompts and how to teach creative writing . If you’re considering a career in this field, you might find our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it helpful.

4 Steps to Start Creative Writing

Creative writing can seem daunting to beginners, but with the right approach, anyone can start their journey into this creative field. Here are some steps to help you start creative writing .

1. Finding Inspiration

The first step in creative writing is finding inspiration . Inspiration can come from anywhere and anything. Observe the world around you, listen to conversations, explore different cultures, and delve into various topics of interest.

Reading widely can also be a significant source of inspiration. Read different types of books, articles, and blogs. Discover what resonates with you and sparks your imagination.

For structured creative prompts, visit our list of creative writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing.

Editor’s Note : When something excites or interests you, stop and take note – it could be the inspiration for your next creative writing piece.

2. Planning Your Piece

Once you have an idea, the next step is to plan your piece . Start by outlining:

• the main points

Remember, this can serve as a roadmap to guide your writing process. A plan doesn’t have to be rigid. It’s a flexible guideline that can be adjusted as you delve deeper into your writing. The primary purpose is to provide direction and prevent writer’s block.

3. Writing Your First Draft

After planning your piece, you can start writing your first draft . This is where you give life to your ideas and breathe life into your characters.

Don’t worry about making it perfect in the first go. The first draft is about getting your ideas down on paper . You can always refine and polish your work later. And if you don’t have a great place to write that first draft, consider a journal for writing .

4. Editing and Revising Your Work

The final step in the creative writing process is editing and revising your work . This is where you fine-tune your piece, correct grammatical errors, and improve sentence structure and flow.

Editing is also an opportunity to enhance your storytelling . You can add more descriptive details, develop your characters further, and make sure your plot is engaging and coherent.

Remember, writing is a craft that improves with practice . Don’t be discouraged if your first few pieces don’t meet your expectations. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, enjoy the creative process.

For more insights on creative writing, check out our articles on how to teach creative writing or creative writing activities for kids.

Tips to Improve Creative Writing Skills

Understanding what is creative writing is the first step. But how can one improve their creative writing skills? Here are some tips that can help.

Read Widely

Reading is a vital part of becoming a better writer. By immersing oneself in a variety of genres, styles, and authors, one can gain a richer understanding of language and storytelling techniques . Different authors have unique voices and methods of telling stories, which can serve as inspiration for your own work. So, read widely and frequently!

Practice Regularly

Like any skill, creative writing improves with practice. Consistently writing — whether it be daily, weekly, or monthly — helps develop your writing style and voice . Using creative writing prompts can be a fun way to stimulate your imagination and get the words flowing.

Attend Writing Workshops and Courses

Formal education such as workshops and courses can offer structured learning and expert guidance. These can provide invaluable insights into the world of creative writing, from understanding plot development to character creation. If you’re wondering is a degree in creative writing worth it, these classes can also give you a taste of what studying creative writing at a higher level might look like .

Joining Writing Groups and Communities

Being part of a writing community can provide motivation, constructive feedback, and a sense of camaraderie. These groups often hold regular meetings where members share their work and give each other feedback. Plus, it’s a great way to connect with others who share your passion for writing.

Seeking Feedback on Your Work

Feedback is a crucial part of improving as a writer. It offers a fresh perspective on your work, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Whether it’s from a writing group, a mentor, or even friends and family, constructive criticism can help refine your writing .

Start Creative Writing Today!

Remember, becoming a proficient writer takes time and patience. So, don’t be discouraged by initial challenges. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep enjoying the process. Who knows, your passion for creative writing might even lead to creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Happy writing!

Brooks Manley

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024: 

Gratitude Journal Prompts Mindfulness Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Anxiety Reflective Journal Prompts Healing Journal Prompts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal Prompts Mental Health Journal Prompts ASMR Journal Prompts Manifestation Journal Prompts Self-Care Journal Prompts Morning Journal Prompts Evening Journal Prompts Self-Improvement Journal Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts Dream Journal Prompts Relationship Journal Prompts "What If" Journal Prompts New Year Journal Prompts Shadow Work Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Journal Prompts for Dealing with Loss Journal Prompts for Discerning and Decision Making Travel Journal Prompts Fun Journal Prompts

Inspiring Ink: Expert Tips on How to Teach Creative Writing

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How to Meet New People

Last Updated: April 15, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christina Jay, NLP and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure . Christina Jay is a Matchmaker and Certified Life Coach based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Christina is the founder of Preferred Match (preferredmatch.ca), her matchmaking service that finds love for successful and elite individuals. She has over 10 years of coaching experience, earned her NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programming) certification through NLP Canada Training, and has a BA in Business Administration from Brock University. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,509,378 times.

Maybe you're looking to expand your social circle, or you've recently started going to a new school and you don’t know anybody yet. Regardless of the reason, it helps to know where and how you can meet new people. We know it can be scary to introduce yourself to strangers, but making friends will totally get easier the more you try. For tips on meeting new people, read on and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Ways to Meet New People

• Take a class to meet people with similar interests.
• Pursue a new social hobby to make socializing easier.
• Hit the gym, take fitness classes, or join a sports team.
• Join more local events at venues or museums.
• Volunteer to meet like-minded individuals.

Take a class.

• If you’re still in school, consider taking an elective you’d never otherwise take. If you’re not big on art and most of your friends are into sports, an art class may introduce you to a new crowd.

Pursue a new social hobby.

• If all of your hobbies are solitary, there are probably social groups out there for them. Reading is the perfect example—if you love a good book, join a book club!
• If you’re still in high school or college, there are probably social clubs all over the place that you could join.
• If you’re struggling to find group pertaining to your hobby, check out Meetup. Facebook groups for your area may also have resources for you.

Hit the gym or join a sports team.

• If you normally do yoga at home, signing up for a guided yoga class will expose you to people who love the same kind of things you do!
• Not only is this a great way to meet people, it’s a fun way to stay fit.

Attend more local events.

• Open mics are awesome options if you’re a singer, poet, or musician. Connecting with other artists can make for some rewarding friendships!

Volunteer for a good cause.

• Church groups can be a great way to volunteer and meet people with similar religious beliefs if that’s important to you. [6] X Trustworthy Source Pew Research Center Nonpartisan thinktank conducting research and providing information on public opinion, demographic trends, and social trends Go to source
• If you enjoy being outside, you might volunteer to help out at your local park, or to coach a kid’s sports team.
• You might offer to help out at a local soup kitchen, or see if anyone needs a hand at your local community center.

Frequent a nearby bar or coffee shop.

• The people who work at the bar or coffee shop will get to know you too. Maybe there’s a fun barista or bartender looking for new friends.

Meet your neighbors.

• An easy way to chat a neighbor up is to ask about something that happened in the area. You might say, “Hey, do you know why they shut Main Street down last week?” or, “What was all that noise last weekend? It sounded like it was coming from the end of the block.”
• Alternatively, you could ask for a recommendation. “Do you know if there’s a good Mediterranean place around here?” can spark a friendly conversation.

Try finding friends online.

• This might have been an uncommon thing to do a few years ago, but this is super normal these days. Don’t feel weird about finding friends online.

Ask a friend to introduce you to others.

• The other way to do this is to simply ask them to bring you along the next time they go to a party or head over to a friend’s place for poker night.

Open up to new people early and often.

• For example, if you’re talking to a new person and they ask you how you are, you might normally say, “I’m good, you?” Instead, try saying something like, “I’m great actually! I had a wonderful day. I went shopping actually.”

Say yes to every invitation.

• This can be a little uncomfortable if you’re not used to it. The good news is that it gets a lot easier the more often you do it.

Give people compliments.

• More meaningful compliments might include things like, “You’re really kind,” or, “I love the way you think about things.” You don’t need to go over the top or anything—these little comments matter.

• The more time you spend outside, the more likely you are to meet someone new. A dog is a great motivation for getting out of the house.
• Don’t get a dog if this is the only reason you’d want one. If you’ve been strongly considering it though, maybe this is the little nudge you need to justify getting one.

Community Q&A

• Keep putting yourself out there! If you do, you'll meet new people and make friends naturally. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Try not to trust someone you've just met completely. It's okay to be a little wary but remain open. Trust is something that is built overtime.
• Try to avoid looking or acting desperate. Just be yourself and the right people will come.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://admissions.usf.edu/blog/how-to-make-friends-in-college
• ↑ https://online.kettering.edu/news/why-hobbies-are-important
• ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/Exercise-with-a-friend
• ↑ https://www.wcsu.edu/community-engagement/benefits-of-volunteering/
• ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/volunteering-and-its-surprising-benefits.htm
• ↑ https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/10/03/for-a-lot-of-american-teens-religion-is-a-regular-part-of-the-public-school-day/
• ↑ https://www.algonquincollege.com/achub/2019/06/10-tips-making-friends/
• ↑ https://www.msmc.edu/knight-life-blog/5-ways-to-make-friends-in-college/
• ↑ https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/how-to-make-friends-online/
• ↑ https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/need-help-to-start-dating/
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/finding-mind/202009/sharing-vulnerability-secret-closer-friendships
• ↑ https://www.kidscape.org.uk/advice/advice-for-young-people/friendships-and-frenemies/how-to-make-new-friends/
• ↑ https://hbr.org/2021/02/a-simple-compliment-can-make-a-big-difference
• ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/pets-can-help-their-humans-create-friendships-find-social-support-201505067981

About This Article

When meeting new people, start off slow and talk about easy topics, like your favorite music or where you went to college. To appear confident, stand tall and maintain eye contact, which will show people that you like yourself and are a person who is worth talking to. If you run into an awkward silence with a new person, do your best to resist oversharing personal details and just try to find some common ground to bond over, like the weather. Remember to maintain a positive attitude and smile and laugh when something is funny. To learn how to respect boundaries when meeting new people, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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202 conversation starters to help you connect with new people

We've all experienced this awkward moment: You're at a party, networking event , or gathering, and the only people you know are occupied.

You might be tempted to scroll through your phone , distract yourself with hors d’oeuvres, or lurk near the bar until you can slink out unobtrusively.

Instead of heading for the exit, take a deep breath and summon your confidence : it's time to get out there and meet new people.

Sure, it’s easy to feel intimidated by the prospect of striking up a conversation with a stranger, but this scenario is actually the perfect opportunity to expand your circle.

In the midst of our well-documented loneliness epidemic , building relationships is crucial to our mental and physical health. Chances are that whoever you're chatting with is similarly grateful for the opportunity to connect.

Meeting people is also a great way to broaden your worldview and encounter fresh perspectives. Maybe your new acquaintances will introduce you to a fascinating book , or encourage you to take up a new hobby.

If you're looking for a smooth way to chat up your crush , we have you covered, too. First dates can be stressful — we all want to make a good impression , after all — but there are plenty of ways to start a fun, flirty, and meaningful conversation.

From funny to deep, these conversation starters will help you connect with people in any (and every) situation.

Simple conversation starters

• What brings you to this event?
• Having fun? 
• Do you know a lot of people here?
• What have you been up to since I last saw you?
• I love your outfit. Where do you like to shop?
• What do you do for work?
• What do you do for fun?
• Have you been here before? 
• Where did you last travel to?
• Are you working on any passion projects?
• What is your favorite time of year?
• Where’s next on your list to visit? 
• Do you have any pets?
• What does your ideal weekend look like?
• Have you read any good books lately?
• Have you watched any good shows recently? 
• Have you listened to any good podcasts lately?
• What books/ movies/ TV shows do you recommend?
• Do you have a bucket list?
• Where did you grow up?
• What brought you to move here? 
• What made you laugh this week?
• What is your favorite cuisine?
• Do you like to travel?
• How long have you worked at [company]?
• Where did you go to school?
• What is your go-to fun fact?
• What was the highlight of your day today?
• What was your favorite book/movie/TV show growing up?
• How did you get into your hobby?
• Have you ever met someone famous?
• If you could play any song right now, what would it be?
• What are your goals this week?
• What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited?
• What is your favorite form of social media?
• What did you think of the show?
• Do you have any restaurant recommendations?
• What kind of music do you listen to?
• Do you enjoy going to museums?
• Do you speak any other languages?
• Are you a dog or cat person?
• What sports team are you rooting for right now?
• Who is your favorite celebrity?
• What pop culture moment have you been fascinated by lately?
• Do you like to cook?
• If you had more free time, how would you spend it?
• What life hack do you swear by?
• Has this been a busy week for you?
• If you could get coffee with one person, living or dead, who would you choose?
• Do you prefer hot weather or cold weather?

Funny conversation starters

• What never fails to make you laugh?
• What’s the stupidest joke you’ve ever heard?
• What was the most embarrassing moment of your life?
• What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?
• If you joined the circus, what act would you perform?
• What’s your strangest habit?
• What is the dumbest thing you’ve ever had to Google?
• Do you sing in the shower?
• Has anyone ever told you that you look like a famous person?
• Do you believe in aliens?
• What’s a small topic that you’re weirdly passionate about?
• What is the worst baby name you’ve ever heard?
• What is your silliest fear?
• What is the funniest lie you’ve ever told?
• Did you have an awkward phase as a kid?
• Would you survive a zombie apocalypse?
• What movie title describes your personality?
• Would you hate or enjoy the ability to read minds?
• What is your most unusual skill?
• What song could you sing or rap word for word?
• How many hours do you spend on your phone each day?
• Can you do any celebrity impressions?
• What is the worst advice anyone has ever given you?
• Do you think you would enjoy being famous?
• Do you have any ‘icks’?
• Which app or website do you spend the most time on?
• What outfit do you regret the most?
• What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen?
• Do you think you talk in your sleep?
• What is your most unpopular opinion?
• Which G-rated movie scared you as a child?
• If you had to give a presentation on the spot, what topic would you choose?
• Do you collect anything?
• Do you think a hot dog is a sandwich?
• What popular thing do you secretly hate?
• Did you ever have an imaginary friend?
• Do you have a signature dance move? Show me!
• What's your “ Roman Empire ”?
• If you could jump into the world of a movie, which movie would you choose?
• What is your usual pizza order?
• What is your usual coffee order?
• What’s the strangest question anyone has ever asked you?
• If a genie granted you three wishes, what would you wish for?
• Do you think you would survive in a horror movie?
• Would you ever go on a reality show? Which one?
• Would you rather live without internet or without air conditioning?
• What’s the weirdest food combination you enjoy?
• What would you do if you ran into your clone?
• If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
• How many photos on your camera roll are selfies?

Deep conversation starters 

• How are you really doing today?
• I love your sense of style. Have you always been someone savvy with fashion or did you develop your style over time?
• What’s your most treasured item?
• What was your dream job as a kid?
•  If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you bring?
• How do you spend your days? 
• Who was your role model growing up?
• You have great taste in literature. Want to do a book swap?
• Do you remember your dreams when you wake up?
• If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you choose and why?
• What do you love most about your job?
• What do you dislike about your job?
• What’s something you’ve always been curious to learn more about?
• What are your passions? 
• Who is the person you talk to the most?
• What do you hope to accomplish this year?
• What is the last thing that made you cry?
• Have you ever met one of your heroes? Did they live up to your expectations?
• What do you see yourself doing this time next year? 
• What was your proudest moment?
•  If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?
• What would you like to change about your life in the next year? 
• What do you look for in a potential friend?
• What’s a memory that always makes you smile?
• What song always makes you dance?
• Are you more of an introvert or extrovert?
• What’s something about you that surprises people?
• Who is your best friend, and why are they your best friend?
• Which family member are you most similar to?
• If you buried a time capsule today, what would you put in it?
• If you won the lottery, what would you do?
• Do you consider yourself messy or organized? Would others agree?
• What item in your house do you use most often?
• What book has made the biggest impact on you?
• If you could go back in time, which era would you visit?
• What’s something you’ve never told anyone?
• If you could break one world record, what would it be?
• What is the greatest challenge that you have overcome?
• If you were immortal for one day, what would you do?
• What would you title your memoir?
• What’s the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?
• What actor would you choose to play you in a movie?
• Do you fear or embrace change?
• If you could pick a superpower, what would it be?
• What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
• What is something you regret?
• Do you tend to agree with your friends?
• Are you a risk-taker or do you prefer to stay in your comfort zone?
• If you could change one thing about the world, what would you change?
• If someone could tell you about your future, would you want to know?
• Does your life resemble the future you imagined as a child?

Date conversation starters

• I was feeling nervous and excited coming into this event, but I am glad I’m here with you. How were you feeling before this event?
• Do you prefer to go out or stay in?
• Am I similar to what you expected? 
• What surprised you about me?
• What is the most important thing I should know about you?
• How are you feeling so far? 
• What made you interested in going out with me?
• What do you look for in a potential partner?
• What qualities matter most to you?
• What are your relationship deal breakers?
• What is the first thing you noticed about me?
• What do you think a healthy relationship looks like?
• Have you ever tried (insert hobby here)? 
• What is your communication style?
• Do you prefer the city or the country?
• What is the best gift you’ve ever received?
• If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
• What is your favorite place in the whole world?
• Have you ever gone on a blind date?
• If you weren’t in your current field of work, what would you want to do?
• What is the best date you’ve ever been on?
• What is the worst date you’ve ever been on?
• What is your favorite holiday?
• What does your work-life balance look like?
• Do you feel fulfilled by your career?
• What is your biggest pet peeve?
• What’s your favorite thing about yourself? 
• What does your typical day look like?
• Who is your celebrity crush?
• Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?
• What is your favorite dessert?
• Who is the most important person in your life right now?
• What is the best compliment you’ve ever gotten?
• Are you a morning person or a night owl?
• What is your love language?
• What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
• Do you prefer to text or call?
• Would you ever relocate for a partner?
• What traits do you think make us compatible?
• What is your perfect date night?
• What gives you butterflies?
• What’s one thing you’ll never compromise on?
• What is your opinion on astrology?
• If you had to get a tattoo right now, what design would you choose?
• What is your least favorite home chore?
• What is your most-used emoji?
• Are there any questions you want to ask me, but you feel too nervous?
• Do you prefer tea or coffee?
• What fictional character do you relate to the most?
• If you could build your dream home, what would it look like?
• What do you think people should know about each other before they start dating?

Keep the conversation going

• 100 this-or-that questions to make your conversations more compelling
• 90 funny questions for LOL-worthy conversations
• 105 'most likely to' questions to strengthen conversations

Sarah Fielding , MS, is an acclaimed journalist focusing on mental health, gender rights, and social issues. She's also the co-founder of  Empire Coven , a space for highlighting trailblazing women across New York. She has written for The Washington Post, The New York Times, Insider, Verywell, The Guardian and more. 

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Student Opinion

15 Prompts for Talking and Writing About Friendship

Questions to help students reflect on the meaning of friendship in their lives

By Natalie Proulx

Who are your closest friends? How much do you share with them? Do you actually like your friends? What have you learned from them?

Below, we’ve rounded up 15 questions we’ve asked students over the years all about friendship. You can use them as prompts for writing or discussion, inside the classroom or out. We hope they’ll inspire you to reflect on your friendships, consider how you can strengthen the ones you have, and motivate you to reach out and make new ones.

Each prompt includes an excerpt from a related New York Times article, essay or photo; a link to the related piece; and several questions to help you think deeply about it. Many of these questions are still open for comment from students 13 or older.

You can find even more ideas for teaching and learning about friendship in our related lesson plan: How Students Can Cultivate Meaningful Friendships Using The New York Times .

1. Who Are Your Friends?

Do you have a “best friend,” a few close friends or a large group of friends? What interests, experiences, passions and circumstances forge those relationships? What are some of your favorite memories or admirable characteristics you associate with your friends?

Use this Picture Prompt to talk or write about your most important friendships.

2. How Alike Are You and Your Friends?

Did you know there is science behind how we choose our friends? Research has shown that we tend to befriend people who are much like us in a wide array of characteristics, including age, race, religion, even our handgrip strength.

In this prompt , you’ll read more about the things that bond us, and then share what you and your friends have in common.

3. Do You Have Any Unlikely Friendships?

Though we tend to connect with people who are like us, sometimes friendship happens with someone we’d least expect. That was the case for Spencer Sleyon, a 22-year-old rapper and producer from East Harlem, and Rosalind Guttman, an 81-year-old woman living in a retirement community in Florida, who met playing the Words With Friends game.

Do you have any surprising friendships like this one?

4. How Much Do You Share With Your Friends?

Do you often express your innermost thoughts, feelings and struggles to those closest to you? Or do you tend to keep those things to yourself? Being vulnerable can be scary, but research shows it’s important for building connections with others.

Use this prompt to reflect on what it feels like to open up to your friends, and how you might try to do more of it.

5. Do You Have Satisfying Friendships?

Are internet friendships as fulfilling as in-person ones? In a guest essay, a writer argues that “The kind of presence required for deep friendship does not seem cultivated in many online interactions. Presence in friendship requires ‘being with’ and ‘doing for.’”

Do you agree? Can online “friends” be true friends? Share your opinion.

6. Do You Have Any Close Friends?

Do you prefer to have many casual friends or just a few close ones? What makes a person a “best” friend? Do you wish you had more close friendships? This prompt explores these questions and more, as well as shares expert advice for developing deeper friendships.

7. How Do You React When Your Friendships Change?

Have you ever become less close to a friend over time? Have you ever felt jealousy when your friend joined another friend group? Have you ever had a friendship just fizzle out? These kinds of changes happen all the time, but they can be difficult to navigate.

Tell us what you do when you feel a friendship start to shift.

8. Do Social Media and Smartphones Make Your Friendships Stronger?

Does being able to stay constantly in touch with your friends via social media, texting and location sharing strengthen your friendships and make them easier to maintain? Or does it do the opposite? Weigh in with your experiences on this prompt .

9. Do You Like Your Friends?

It may sound like a strange question, but a 2016 study found that only about half of perceived friendships are mutual. That means you might not even like someone who thinks of you as a best friend. And vice versa.

Is this is true for any of your relationships?

10. How Often Do You Text Your Friends Just to Say ‘Hi’?

When was the last time you texted, called, emailed or messaged a friend just to say “hello”? Research suggests casual check-ins might mean more than we realize. Do you underestimate how much your friends would like hearing from you?

Read what experts have to say and then share your thoughts.

11. Is It Harder for Men and Boys to Make and Keep Friends?

American men appear to be stuck in a “friendship recession,” according to a recent survey. Less than half of men said they were truly satisfied with the number of friendships they had. The same study also found that men are less likely than women to seek emotional support from or share personal feelings with their friends.

Does this reflect your experience? Weigh in.

12. Do You Have Any Intergenerational Friendships?

“When applying to my job, I had no idea of the friendships I would be making with 70+ year old women. They teach me new things every day while I hear their life stories and things they have done,” Laura from Ellisville wrote in response to this prompt.

Do you have any friends who are significantly younger or older than you? What do you think we can gain from these kinds of intergenerational friendships? Tell us here.

13. Have You Ever Been Left Out?

Imagine it’s a Saturday. All your friends told you they were busy, so you’re sitting at home, alone, mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. But then you see a post that stops you in your tracks. It’s a picture of all of your friends hanging out together — without you. This is what happened to Hallie Reed in her first semester at college.

Has something like this ever happened to you? Use this prompt to talk or write about how it felt.

14. What Have Your Friends Taught You About Life?

“My friends taught me different perspectives on life.” “My friends have taught me to not care what other people think.” “My friends have taught me to be myself.”

These are just a few of the responses teenagers had to this prompt. What have your friends taught you?

15. Have You Ever Had a Significant Friendship End?

Few relationships are meant to last forever. In a guest essay, Lauren Mechling writes that “even bonds founded on that rare, deeply felt psychic connection between two people” are “bound to fray.”

Have you experienced this with someone with whom you were once very close? What happened? Share your story.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Natalie Proulx joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2017 after working as an English language arts teacher and curriculum writer. More about Natalie Proulx

An Introvert’s Guide: 23 Ideas to Meet New People at a Conference

Events , Tools , Performance , Career , Communication , Collaboration

A friend is heading to a business conference by herself today. Over the weekend, she mentioned she is nervous about going because of “everything: driving there, being there alone, not knowing anybody, whether or not to do the dinner cruise thing, just imagining walking into any of the socializing stuff, what to wear, what to do in my down time. Will probably just hide in my luxurious hut.”

I told her she needs to make herself socialize and meet new people at the conference, suggesting she find a friendly face that also doesn't know anyone and become buddies. She was skeptical based on her most recent experience of showing up alone. As she recalled, “I stood around, walked around, smiled, said hi, introduced myself. Nothing. Except an angry nerd attached himself to me. No grownups were interested.”

I suggested additional ideas, then realized: I was writing a blog post on how I, as an introvert, force myself to meet new people at conferences and business events. Granted, there are LOTS of other sources on this, but this one is based on my personal experiences.

Speaking is a central part of my personal conference networking strategy to meet new people. Speaking helps tremendously in getting people to approach you to chat. If you’re the type of introvert that is fine getting up in front of groups and talking, that’s my number one recommendation.

23 Ideas to Meet New People at a Conference

Here are things I’ve tried (or experienced) to meet new people at conferences where I am not speaking:

Way Before the Conference

#1. Try to convince someone to go with you so you know somebody.

#2. Do whatever you can to scope out the attendees and speakers upfront. Figure out if you have connections to any of them (or even to people in the city where you are headed), and arrange meetings. That’s how I met Diane Black (who has done such great inforgraphics for us) and Mess Wright, both of whom inspired ideas that could re-shape the future of Brainzooming .

#3. Try wearing message clothing. By that, I mean wear a shirt that creates conversation, which may require pre-planning. I met this young woman at Inbound2016. With a shirt like this, I HAD to ask why she was looking for a new boss. I took photos and tweeted them to help her get attention. What message clothes can you create and wear to start converstations?

Right Before the Conference

#4. Pack the clothing or jewelry you own that most often generates comments from others. Wear those as conversation starters. (Orange socks, an orange watch, and all the other orange stuff I have prompt many comments and conversations. Even from other introverts! That’s how I got to know Claire Denbo of engage5w .)

#5. PACK BUSINESS CARDS. ENOUGH SAID.

#6. Find out the conference hashtag(s) ahead of time, and begin monitoring them. Reach out to other attendees and speakers using the hashtag. Ask and answer questions to start building relationships.

#7. If there are free times for lunch or dinner, book a reservation for four at a nearby restaurant and start asking people you meet to join you (and bring friends). I tried this the first time at the GasCan conference; long-time friend Kathryn Lorenzen became my anchor guest, bringing two other friends, while I invited Mike Farag of Fervor . We had a fantastic lunch!

#8. Prepare a few open-ended, easy-to-answer multiple part questions to ask. Prepare to use them. Try, “Is this your first time at the conference?” If it is, ask why they chose it or what they are looking forward to at the event. If they are returning, ask why they came back, and what you should not miss. This helps you uncover experts you can depend on or refer others to for meet-ups.

Onsite Before the Conference Starts

#9. If the registration is informal, chat with the people handling registration. Let them know this is a new environment for you, and you’d love to meet new folks. Maybe even give them a card or two that includes a way to track you down onsite. Tell them if they come across anyone looking for a buddy, you’re interested in hanging out with others.

#10. Arrive early and get the lay of the land in and around the conference facility so you can easily answer questions. Take on the role of being an informal conference concierge since answering questions is a great way to meet people. Be ready to point people to where meeting rooms and bathrooms are, know how long it takes from the elevators to the conference area, figure out fun things to do, where to eat, and the closest convenience and drugstores.

#11. Get up to speed on the agenda in a deep way. Understand the event flow, themes for the day or evening, and when things are. This positions you to pipe up with answers and meet people that will be at your table and ask general questions about the conference hoping someone can answer them.

During the Conference

#12. Wear your nametag. Make sure it’s visible. If it keeps flipping around, rig a binder clip to hold it in place.

#13. Be deliberate about your seating strategy at sessions with round tables. You can join a group and have people to start talking with right away (asking if a chair is free, introducing yourself, asking a question, etc.) Alternatively, you can scope out a table where no one is sitting. You then “own” the space and can play the role of a host. Either one works. One may suit you better than the other, though.

#14. Serve other people at the conference. Stock up on cough drops, mints, phone chargers, an extension cord, pens, and paper. Know how to download and use the conference app. Sit near the water pitcher at a table so you can offer to pour water or go get a drink for someone that just sat down. Be the one to get the Uber or car pool arranged. Those are easy ways for an introvert to meet new people and seem as if you are one of the most engaging people at the conference.

#15. Compare schedules with others. Learn what sessions they are attending. If it makes sense content-wise, give preference to sessions where you suspect you’re going to find people you have already met. (While it wasn’t a conference, this is why I, as a political science undergrad major, took a summer school accounting class: a woman I was interested in was going to be taking it, and so I just happened to be taking it, too.)

#16. Take advantage of social media to reach out and increase your visibility. Live tweet the sessions you attend (I’ve had people change sessions and meet me based on live tweets that made where I was sound more interesting.) Change the profile pics on social networks daily so they show what you look like and are wearing. This makes it very easy to spot you in a crowd.

#17. Type up your top ten take-aways from the day’s events and publish a blog post that evening or before the conference begins the next morning. Share it using the conference hashtag so people notice you are there. Invite conference goers reading the post to reach out to you at the event to request your full set of notes afterward.

#18. Unless you are actively using your phone for networking with social media (be honest here), leave it in your purse or pocket. Don’t make it look like your phone is your date for the event.

#19. Be careful with how you approach uber-confident, uber-outgoing, and uber-interested in telling everyone how great everything is people. I don’t know about you, but they can suck away what networking energy I have and leave me beating myself up for not being more outgoing and successful. That means I, at least, must be very careful about how much time I spend trying to hang out around them.

Networking Events

#20. Sign up for networking events and excursions. Make yourself go. Boost your confidence that you can enjoy these events on your own, while you look for opportunities to share experiences with others!

#21. Know how much alcohol gets you to where you start being engaging. Be careful if you need to drive afterward, but get to that amount of alcohol early on at a networking event to loosen up your conversation skills.

#22. Find other people that are alone and appear uneasy but hopeful. Reach out to them, essentially offering them an opportunity to be a part of a posse. Invite them to the group lunch or dinner you are planning!

#23. Look for small groups at networking events, ideally with people you’ve seen at sessions during the day. Find a way to join them through proximity, listening, smiling, and shared interests (i.e., you all are at this event, were in some of the same sessions, and have drinks). Being around the crowd can be the right opening to start meeting other people on the edge of the crowd.

That’s Not All the Ideas

I’m sure there are more ideas than this for an introvert to meet new people at a conference, but since this is probably the longest Brainzooming post ever, that’s all for today! -  Mike Brown

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Erin Lafond

Writer, Reviewer, and Mom

10 Creative Writing Prompts to Get Your Group Started

April 11, 2018 · In: Creativity , Writing

Last updated on July 14th, 2022 at 08:55 am

This article is part five of a series about starting your own creative writing group/club. Part one is here .  Topics will include giving constructive criticism , running a workshop , and writing games / prompts .

Writing prompts are both fun and a great club icebreaker. There are several types of writing prompts. My favorites are story prompts and first-line prompts. I used to come up with them for the teen creative writing club I ran. I’ve put some of each below to get your club started.

Here are my general rules for writing games/prompts:

• Encourage everyone to share their writing, but no one ever has to share. This creates an environment where people feel comfortable. The important thing is doing the exercise. If they decide to share, they must read their prompt aloud so everyone knows what it was.
• Set a time limit. I would generally give everyone five to ten minutes per round to write, and then I would open up for sharing. Once everyone had the opportunity to read their work, I would start another round or move on. This also encouraged people to share. After all, no story is good after five minutes.
• No one ever has to keep their prompt. If someone doesn’t like their prompt, they’re allowed to put it back and pick something else.

One last thing. My personal rule for coming up with prompts was I would never put it in the basket unless I could take the prompt in at least a couple of directions. Take the first line prompt below, “I hated that smile.” I could imagine a creepy story where the main character faces someone that scares them. I could also see the main character coming home to their mother, and the smile means they’re about to do something they don’t want to, like spend the weekend volunteering. Those are two very different stories. So, the prompt went into the basket.

I would always allow people to change the pronouns for their prompts. He to she, she to I, you to they, etc.

Story Prompts:

• You’ve decided to go on a road trip by yourself.
• You’ve wandered farther than usual and discovered an old cabin in the woods behind your house.
• You’re reading a book in the middle of the night when you hear a massive bang downstairs.
• You’re walking home, and you think you’re being followed.
• It’s been raining for a week straight with no signs of stopping.

First Line Prompts:

• I hated that smile.
• “Wait, isn’t he supposed to be dead?”
• It was too quiet.
• “Have you seen this?”
• Was that a scream?

Check out my Pinterest board for weekly writing prompts!

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Four Creative Writing Games to Get Your Group Started

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How To Talk To New People: Approaching And Starting A Conversation With Someone New

Many of us wish to meet new people but aren’t quite sure how to do so. You might meet people online through websites, apps, chat rooms, or video games. It may also be possible to meet new people in person at coffee shops, grocery stores, churches, and other locations. Once you’ve met a new person, working on your conversation skills, seeking common ground, and reading body language may help you get to know them. If you have a hard time interacting with new people, you may wish to consider online therapy as a tool to help you become more comfortable with socializing.

How to meet new people

Meeting a new person digitally can remove some pressure from the situation. If the conversation gets awkward or goes awry, you may easily leave it behind and connect with someone else if you’d like. However, it may be more beneficial to challenge yourself to stay in the conversation and try a simple "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you. Let's try again!" Countless apps and websites may help you connect with people locally or from other parts of the world.

Websites and apps for chatting online

Utilizing chat sites and apps can be an excellent way to make new friends, but it's important to exercise caution. Engaging in online chats may give you a sense of instant gratification, making you feel like the perfect stranger chat partner is just a click away. Remember that online chat essentially eliminates the challenging part of meeting people in real life, connecting you with others who also want to engage in conversation.

Whether you meet someone through a chat service, chat rooms, or in person, it can still take time to truly get to know them. It's wise not to get too wrapped up in the process and give yourself enough time to understand others, rather than disregarding potential connections in pursuit of something better.

Chat rooms for making new friends

When it comes to chatting online, you might opt for a chat website based on a topic that interests you. Having a common interest can help break the ice, and there are often free chat sites and message boards for a wide range of subjects, from creative writing to parenting to travel. Even if you believe your hobby or interest is unique, you're likely to find a stranger chat room or online community centered around it.

Video games

Another method to connect with strangers online is through video games. Numerous games offer a chat site or forum where you can talk to fellow players at no cost. Engaging in random chat as you tackle new challenges and defeat adversaries together may lead to forming lasting bonds with completely unknown people.

Meeting people in person

Though connecting with strangers online is an option, many people still prefer to meet people organically at places like coffee shops, bars, hostels, churches, universities, or volunteering experiences. Approaching female strangers in person might feel more challenging than initiating a text chat, but it can also be more fulfilling. By opting to talk to strangers offline, you might accelerate the getting-to-know-you phase, and instinctively determine whether this person is worth investing more time in.

How to speak with new people

After you have met a new person, what happens next? Here are some tips you may wish to keep in mind when you are first talking to this new person.

Master the first impression

It's natural for people to judge based on appearances. To create a positive first impression when engaging with female strangers online or in person, consider projecting the image you desire through your attire, posture, and body language. This isn't to say you should pretend to be someone else, but feeling confident in your presentation can help you be your best self. Approach the conversation with calm confidence, start chatting, and offer a friendly smile.

Craft a memorable message

When initiating a conversation on a chatting website or random chat site, consider starting with something more engaging than "Hey" or "What's up?" To stand out from the crowd, send a genuine message, like a compliment. Prepare a few conversation topics to kick things off, and the interaction may flow naturally. For instance, ask about their favorite restaurant or discuss your own dining preferences.

In general, it's wise to keep the conversation positive when meeting random strangers. Sticking to light, uplifting subjects set the right tone from the beginning.

Discover the art of conversation

When engaging in stranger talk or chatting in stranger chat rooms, consider actively listening instead of solely focusing on crafting your response. Active listening can be key to fostering meaningful conversations, as it allows you to ask relevant questions and create strong connections. It's easy to get caught up in our own replies when attempting to connect with strangers girls or others, which can be off-putting.

Remember, you don't need to say the "right thing," and there's often no perfect response. The crucial aspect is being genuinely present and showing genuine interest in what the other person has to say.

Seek common ground

An entry point into a memorable conversation can be common ground. Interests, hobbies, and passions are often natural fodder for conversations. Eventually, you might hone and deepen your relationship by discussing differences, but it can be best to start with commonalities. 

Read body language

In a conversation with a stranger, it may help to be sensitive to body language. Crossed arms, a lack of eye contact, and other "closed-off” body language can signal a lack of interest. If this happens, it can be best not to attempt to force a connection. It can also help to be cognizant of your own body language and try to keep it open so that the person you’re speaking with doesn’t assume you don’t wish to interact with them.

Online therapy may help you improve your conversation skills

If you’d like to improve your conversation and communication skills but aren’t sure how you may wish to consider therapy. However, you may find traditional face-to-face therapy intimidating, especially if you feel nervous when speaking to new people. If this is the case for you, online therapy could be an excellent alternative, as you may be able to speak to a licensed therapist through a phone call or written messages if you are not comfortable with video chat.

Research has shown that online, online cognitive-behavioral therapy can be quite  effective in treating symptoms of stress and anxiety , which are often involved in challenges with communication. An online therapist may also be able to teach you helpful communication skills.

Where can I talk to a stranger online?

Online chat rooms have been around for decades, with a number of different chat rooms that allow you to talk to strangers online about almost any topic or interest. You can choose to meet people through social media groups, online dating sites, or public chat rooms. 

How can I talk to strangers for free?

Free chat rooms exist for meeting random people, but always be cautious about telling  information online…and remember that you are talking to a complete stranger. 

Some of the most popular sites to chat online completely free of charge include Chatroulette and Omegle. Both of these chat websites allow you to either text chat or video chat without having to create a profile or enter any information. You may add specific interests and then you can be paired with someone who has the same interests as yours. It’s reminiscent of the unnamed chat rooms of the 1990s. 

What is the best stranger text chat site?

One popular chat site is Chatroulette. As the name implies, this is a random chat app that matches you to a stranger (with or without similar interests). You can connect with strangers via voice calls, voice messages, text chat, or video chat. 

Which app is safe for chatting with strangers?

When chatting with strangers on an app, you want to make sure that you are going through a site that offers at least some chat rules and safety measures. Some free chat platforms that are popular and fairly safe include Meetme, Wakie, WhosHere, and ChatLive. 

How can I chat with a stranger girl?

A choice for an unnamed chat that defends women with extensive safety measures is Wakie. There are hundreds of moderators that examine violations, and they ban those who break community chat rules. You can call or chat all over the world, and choose from a variety of common interest topics. 

How to meet people online?

There are a number of ways to meet people online. The simplest is to join groups on social media that have similar interests and begin participating in online discussions. You may also choose to join a free online chat platform. On some of these you can chat with unnamed strangers, others you can choose to tell info and meet others with specific interests. If you are looking to meet someone in a romantic capacity, you may want to join a dating website where you tell information and photos in profiles and can match with someone who interests you. 

Is Google chat safe with strangers?

As with many online chat avenues, it is safe if you follow smart chat rules and are careful not to divulge sensitive information online. 

How do I meet strangers on Facebook?

Meeting strangers on Facebook or other social media platforms can best be done by joining groups that have common interests. Once you strike up conversations, talking to other members of the group through posts or comments, you may start to message each other (with consent on both sides, of course).

How to meet strangers on Omegle?

This strangers app works by allowing you to enter interests, then using a random pairing algorithm to match you with other users from around the world. This is a popular site, where you can freely talk to all sorts of interesting people, but remember that these people are strangers so there is a risk of seeing or hearing something you may find inappropriate. 

• Talk To Someone: One Key To Happiness Medically reviewed by Paige Henry , LMSW, J.D.
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The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Great First Impression on Everyone you Meet

• Parenting, Family and Friends
• Self-Development and Wellbeing

As an Introvert, it isn’t always easy to meet new people. There’s a lot of pressure that makes Introverts uncomfortable — making small talk, the fear of appearing “too quiet” and the expectation to engage when you may feel too drained to do so are a few of these.

While you can’t force yourself to be more extraverted, Introverts can learn some easy hacks to make first impressions go off without a hitch. These small tricks aren’t hard to incorporate into your routine, whether you meet new people regularly or it’s a rare occasion. 

Read body language to interpret the impression you’re making

Introverts are great at reading other people’s body language. Why? Because they are highly observant and have a tendency to analyze everything . This means they can quickly see and interpret the subtle clues in people’s body language. Don’t pretend you didn’t notice the head tilt, that smirk or the eyebrow raise and use this to adjust your approach!

Since Introverts know how body language reflects the impression they’re making, they can practice adjusting their own body language to make a great first impression in return. Many Introverts have a tendency to cross their arms in front of their chest or avoid eye contact. These habits can make you come across as unapproachable or insecure. Remedy this by adopting some body language tips for Introverts — smile more, keep your eyes open, maintain eye contact and maintain a straight and welcoming posture to avoid appearing closed off to others. 

Don’t listen to your inner critic; harness your inner voice for good

Yes, Introverts have a loud (read: deafening) inner voice, which can be a strength or a weakness. When meeting new people, many Introverts worry about how they come across and this critical inner talk can distract them from engaging effectively. Instead of worrying about how you look or speak, focus on being present. Look people in the eyes and tell your inner critic to take a hike.

You’re thinking, sure, this sounds easy, but it isn’t when the pressure’s on. So here’s a tip—give yourself a pep talk before a big meeting or engagement. Turn your inner critic into your public relations representative, aka a positive force that highlights all your strengths and good points. Use positive affirmations to tell yourself you’ll make a great first impression. It’s as easy as telling yourself you’re going to do great. Negativity will beget negativity. The more you make this a habit, the easier it will become.

Ask questions and employ your listening skills

Introverts are good listeners, so lean into this when you meet someone new. When you ask someone how they’re doing or what they love most about their work, turn on your hyper-attentive listening skills and really focus on what they’re saying. Then, it becomes easy to ask a follow-up question, proving you’re engaged and active in the conversation. The other person will laud your conversational skills, even if you didn’t do much of the talking.

Embrace your authenticity. Don’t put up a front

Introverts might think they should behave a certain way based on societal expectations but, most of the time, people you meet can tell when you’re wearing a mask. Instead of trying to fit your behavior into an extraverted box, be yourself. Most Introverts have difficulty pretending, anyway, and your prospective boss, new colleague or date will appreciate seeing the real you. After all, your authenticity is what makes you shine.

(Did you know there are four types of Introverts ? Knowing which type you are can also help you lean into your authentic strengths when making first impressions.)

View small talk as a treasure map, where the “X marks the spot” is the buried treasure of deeper conversation

Small talk is uncomfortable for Introverts , but most relationships start with some level of it. So think of it as a necessary means to an end. If you engage in some small talk, you’ll eventually get to the nitty-gritty of the conversation.

Conversely, if someone asks you a question that may steer the conversation away from small talk, swim to the deep end—but make sure you only do this when appropriate. For example, discussing deep family matters or personal affairs can be off putting if you're just meeting someone. Stick to the basics of your deep conversational topics—the analysis of sports, art or music are good examples. Keep it interesting, but avoid divulging too much information or veering into topics that make you feel uncomfortable.

Embrace your observational skills to uncover potential talking points

Introverts are master observers, so use this skill to your advantage. What does their outfit say about them? If you’re in their office, do they have telling photographs or hobby memorabilia? It’s easy to keep conversations afloat if you can uncover details about the person you’re meeting.

For example, if you’re on a first date, you might notice your date’s wearing a vintage outfit or piece of jewelry. From there, you could ask them if they’re interested in antiques or history. The same goes for meeting a potential boss for an interview. Do the photographs on their desk prove they like to play golf? Ask how their last golf game went. These simple conversation tidbits show them you’re interested in knowing what makes them tick without being too personal. People enjoy discussing their interests, so this is an excellent way to break the ice. 

Give compliments, but avoid overdoing it

As an Introvert who loves to throw compliments around when I’m struggling for words, I can confirm complimenting someone you’ve just met usually brings lightness and ease into the space. But here’s the caveat—don’t offer too many compliments or give one you don’t mean. People can tell when you’re insincere and you don’t want to give a first impression of insincerity.

On meeting someone, I try to find something I genuinely like about their outfit or look as soon as I see them. It’s easy to do if you hone your observational skills, and when you mean the compliment, it may even endear this person to you. Plus, if you’re in a formal setting, such as on a date, it shows you recognize the other person put effort into their outfit or appearance.

Try finding a common interest

It isn’t always easy to determine someone’s interests right away, but you can include a simple question in your “meeting a new person” routine that will make it possible. Forget the weather— try an icebreaker question like asking what they do for fun or how their weekend was. 

Often, a question like this will bring up an unexpected answer that uncovers a mutual interest. This will make it easier to skip the small talk and discuss something you both enjoy. For instance, when an interviewer asked me what my hobbies were during a job interview, the energy was instantly more friendly when we discovered we both shared a love of theater arts. 

Wrapping things up: Overall, stay positive

First impressions matter, but if you struggle to create what you believe is your “ideal” first impression, don’t beat yourself up over it. You can learn to incorporate the above tips to aid you in your meet and greets. The most important thing to remember is to be yourself and stay open to the experience of meeting new people. At the end of the day, it isn't your fault if someone misinterprets you for someone you are not. All you can do is bring yourself to the table and be friendly and willing to put yourself out there. When you put positivity in, you’re probably going to get positivity out. 

Cianna Garrison Cianna Garrison holds a B.A. in English from Arizona State University and works as a freelance writer. She fell in love with psychology and personality type theory back in 2011. Since then, she has enjoyed continually learning about the 16 personality types. As an INFJ, she lives for the creative arts, and even when she isn’t working, she’s probably still writing.

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How to Run a Successful Writing Group

So you’ve set up your writing group. Now what?

Whether your group is newly formed, or perhaps it’s been running for a while, here are some ideas that can help you inject creative energy.

1. Create the right atmosphere

In order to get into the right creative space, you need to feel at ease with your fellow writers. Make sure new members are welcomed and introduced. And get everyone to say something in the big group at the beginning of every meeting so all members feel involved from the start.

Beginnings to break the ice could be :

• One good thing that’s happened for me in the last seven days
• One thing I’m looking forward to this weekend
• One accomplishment achieved in the last seven days (could be anything from cooking a curry to climbing a mountain).
• One new thing I’ve tried – it doesn’t matter whether it succeeded.

2. Have an agenda

An agenda that roughly follows the same formula each time means people will know what to expect.

You have options but it could look something like this:

• Welcome everyone and do a round the table check in (see above) that allows everyone chance to say something. This could include brief introductions if there are new members.
• The secretary or person in charge of correspondence gives news of writing events, courses, competitions that have arrived via post or email. Members add whatever they have heard of or spotted in magazines.
• A short spontaneous warm up writing exercise with read backs
• Refreshment break for informal friendly chat
• Read backs and feedback of pieces people have written at home. Or a group exercise designed to develop some specific writing skill with read backs.
• Anything else anyone wants to raise and date and time of next meeting.

3. Start on time and end on time

This will encourage latecomers to be prompt and enable members to plan the rest of their day or evening.

4. Share the organising

If one person does everything, the burden is awesome. Eventually you might consider appointing different people to share out the tasks.

These might include

• Secretary – a named person to receive and deal with correspondence and prepare agenda
• Someone to send out reminders of meetings. This could be the Secretary or a different person
• Facilitator to set exercises (or this might change for each meeting)
• Refreshments organiser
• Membership organiser – the role could be combined with…
• Treasurer/Accounts organiser to open bank account and collect fees, pay venue hire if necessary. Some libraries may lend you a room without charge
• Resources and library manager to look after any writing books purchased and owned by the group
• Events organiser to plan days out, theatre visits, invite visiting speakers/tutors depending on how social you want to be.

5. Set stimulating exercises

Some sources of ideas

• Beg, borrow or buy writing books and look for exercises that will develop specific skills. Try the library, bookshops, charity shops, Amazon and writer friends who may be clearing their shelves.
• Google ‘writing exercises for groups’. There are lots of ideas available free on the internet.
• Use old photographs of places or people, song titles, imaginary dialogue between two characters drawn out of a hat to trigger a story. Be creative. And enjoy!

Recommended books for writing exercises:

The Five Minute Writer Taking Reality by Surprise What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers The Writer’s Block

6. Give honest feedback

One of the reasons people join a writing group is so they can have access to honest feedback. But they often report that their fellow-writers are either too nice or too negative about each other’s work. Both types of feedback can be equally unhelpful.

• Too nice is bland, boring and gives the writer no feeling of honest appreciation when they do produce something that is genuinely good.
• Too negative is discouraging and disheartening.
• What’s needed instead is a positive atmosphere in the sessions that evokes honest, sensitive and respectful feedback. Comments should be constructive and a good formula to follow is two positives and a negative.
• For instance, “I really liked the way your piece evoked atmosphere of the place (positive). And you built up a feeling of suspense and tension very well (positive). I think the dialogue could reveal a little more of the difficulties of the relationship, rather than using the narrative text to highlight the problems.

If people find it difficult to give feedback, brainstorm a list of criteria you might look at when evaluating a piece of writing and display it prominently. It might include:

• Does it begin well?
• What emotion/s does it evoke?
• What particular words or phrases do you remember?
• How do you personally relate to the piece?

You might consider appointing the two people sitting next to the reader to take responsibility for giving feedback before opening it up to the group.

Remember most writers have delicate egos and are fairly quick to criticise their own work. So you might introduce a ground rule that no one should be negative about their own writing, or apologise for what they read out. This will help generate a more positive atmosphere.

7. Celebrate your successes

When one of your members wins an award or a competition, or gets published in any small or major way, make it an excuse for celebration. A round of applause, a shared cake or bottle of bubbly. Do whatever works. And encourage your writers to aim for the stars. Who knows – one of them might be the author of the next best-seller.

For information on inviting Judi to run a session at your writing group, in person or online with Zoom click here

How To Create Memorable Meeting Titles That Attract Attendees

Are you hosting unproductive meetings time and time again? Learn how to craft the perfect meeting title to attract your attendees, improve performance, and boost team engagement. 📈

Have fewer, more effective meetings with AI, behavior-driving features, and seamless integrations.

If you're hosting unproductive meetings, chances are it's because you aren’t taking the time to craft creative meeting names. Meeting names should be helpful, informative, and concise, providing attendees with the context necessary to make informed decisions about their involvement. While your meeting names don’t have to be long, they should be impactful and informative.

Crafting meeting names that encompass the purpose of your meeting will do wonders for your meetings moving forward.

In this article, we’ll cover the importance of choosing effective meeting titles. Keep reading to learn about the importance of creative meeting names! 

We’ll be taking a look at the following topics:

• Why are meeting names important? 
• How do you create a meeting title?
• Additional meeting title ideas

Meeting Tools That Elevate Your Meeting Names

Let’s get started.

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Why do meeting names matter?

Just like a meeting agenda, a meeting title is a way of letting attendees know why you’ve called it. 

Instead of making the entire team read through the agenda, the title should give your team members enough of an idea to ensure that they know why they’re attending.

Whether it be a team meeting, weekly meeting , conference meeting, or even a board meeting , you should ensure the meeting’s purpose is suggested by the title. Considering this is something that people often completely skip over when creating a meeting, making sure to name your meeting is a fast way to increase their effectiveness and success. 

Additionally, a meeting’s title could be enough to sway a team member that’s on the fence about going to the meeting to do some more digging. If your title is specific and direct, then you’ll be able to give your workers that little extra push to then open the invite and take a look at the meeting agenda that you’ve attached.

Saying that also assumes that you’re writing an agenda for all of the company meetings that you’re hosting, even cross-functional ones with team members from other departments.. These short documents outline the main purpose and goals of a meeting, which helps to overcome the meeting problem of people feeling that they’re unnecessary. 

Whether you’re hosting virtual meetings or in-person ones, you should always include an agenda attached to your invite. 

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How do you create a business meeting heading? 

When organizations are trying to suggest that their meeting is important, especially when it is an event that invites external figures, they often use pretentious word choice to imply importance.

Have you ever received an invite to one of the following?

• A teleconference
• A keynote seminar
• An exclusive breakfast briefing
• A focus network

While it’s true that meeting might not be the most exciting word, there is no need to turn to grandiose language. 

In fact, the examples listed above are all just pretentious ways to say ‘meeting’. Especially when you’re running team meetings with people that you see everyday, there is no need to roll out the red carpet.

When you create your meeting names, be sure to keep it simple. This straightforward fact will help a lot of team members grasp exactly what you’re offering. Instead of looking for grand titles that suggest a level of significance to your discussion, your title should include information about the content. 

If, when thinking of the content of the discussion, you don’t think you could create an interesting title or one that defines why you’re hosting your discussion, it might be time to reconsider if it’s absolutely necessary. 

Tips for titling business meetings

When you send out a meeting invite, the title is the very first thing someone is going to read. Because of this, it makes sense to try and put yourself in their shoes when you’re crafting the title. 

You’ll want to create a title that accurately describes why the meeting is going to take place. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an interesting name, but it should do its job — which is to explain the meeting’s purpose in one line.

That being said, here are some general tips that you should follow during the process of titling your business meetings:

• Keep them succinct 
• Include concrete goals if possible
• Grasp the group’s attention
• Think about the other person’s perspective 

Creativity has its place

Let’s break these down further.

Keep them succinct

A meeting invite is not the title of your undergraduate dissertation. Yes, it’s important to give a core detail about what the meeting is going to cover, but you don’t need to write absolutely everything that will come up.

Especially if you create a meeting agenda, then a shorter, direct meeting title will be the perfect hook to entice each person to read more about what will be discussed in the meeting.

Include meeting goals

When getting invited to a team meeting , many of your company employees might wonder how necessary this discussion actually is. If you have a very general title, like “Team Meeting”, many people might think that this will be a complete waste of time.

To get around this problem, you should always write one key sentence that explains what goals you expect to hit in the title. This doesn’t have to be complicated, for example:

• Department meeting to discuss finance on project X
• 1-1 performance review of the last three months
• HR: Discussing the recent incident on the 10th of June

Okay, that last one is perhaps a little dramatic. But, it does just enough in one short phrase, letting the reader know exactly what topics you will talk about.

Grasp their attention

One of the easiest ways to gain genuine interest for an important meeting is to use tags like ‘URGENT’, but only when they are absolutely necessary. 

When a meeting invite arrives in your inbox with ‘URGENT’, ‘IMPORTANT’, or ‘CRITICAL’, the gossip inside most people will push them into at least taking a look at what’s going on in the meeting.

Most of the time, no one is going to miss a meeting that’s marked with a tag like this. That being said, be sure to only use an urgent tag if it is actually a critical meeting. If people turn up in droves only to find out that it isn’t actually particularly important, people will start to lose focus and faith in their leaders. 

To avoid being the manager that cried wolf, only use these tags when you need all board members to attend. 

Think about your team’s perspective

As a manager, if you title a meeting “Chat with Jenny,” you’ll probably already know what topic matter you want to talk about. When you open your own calendar and skim through what you’ve got prepared for the day, you’ll instantly know based on your own personal context why you’ve called that meeting.

On the other hand, when a meeting invite arrives in Jenny’s inbox with no information other than ‘chat’, they might be incredibly worried. Will this meeting call for problem solving? Has Jenny caused issues as a team leader ? Or, did Jenny miss a critical due date? It only makes sense that she has these initial concerns. 

The lack of context leaves her completely in the dark, making this an unnerving situation for your team member to be in. Even if they know it's nothing bad, the lack of context from their side of the equation can cause them to feel out of place. 

Additionally, if the topic you want to ‘chat’ about is important or requires some pre-thinking (planning a stage of a project, jotting down key points, or arranging key metrics for example), then making that clear early on will help the team member prepare beforehand. 

You want to ensure that your business meeting is a safe space for your employees to talk about their work progress, problem solving challenges, and concerns. Preparation will make the discussion run a lot smoother, so providing extra context and putting yourself in the employee’s shoes are essential. 

When figuring out how to enliven your meetings , it’s easy to turn to the most creative names you can possibly think of. But catchy names are tricky, as they have the potential to hold significance only because they are catchy. 

Some people in the company might enjoy a funny name, or a more off-the-cuff meeting title. If you are confident that your department is the type of place where funny meeting names will go down well, then go for it.

However, remember that humorous meeting names don’t always come across as the most professional, so keep this in mind depending on who you’re sending out the meeting request to.

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Common meeting names for team meetings and beyond

Now, we’ll be diving into some rapid-fire meeting names, giving you more ideas of what sort of titles might work well for your meeting type. 

Keep in mind the topics you want to talk about, how often the meeting occurs, and which department you will be working with in the process. 

Ideas for one-on-ones:

• Performance Review for the Month of X
• Catch Up of Recent Processes
• Workload Check-In - Are we feeling stressed out?
• Employee Growth Plan - Fostering Future Growth
• Goal Setting For Next Quarter 
• Salary Increase Based On Hard Work and Recent Performance

Team meetings:

• Weekly Strategy Planning for X Project
• Weekly Catch-Up and Project Updates
• Team Goal Focus Meeting - Planning the Next Month’s Progress
• Restructuring Project Goals
• Preparing for Budget Changes Coming to X Project

Project-based meetings:

• Finance Department x Creative Department - Reviewing proposed content plan
• One Week Check-In - How has the project come along?
• Addressing Client’s Review of Project
• Strategy Meeting Moving into Final Sprint
• Introduction to Project X: Context and Goals
• Assigning Project Roles 
• Onboarding Strategy Changing for Future Candidates

Use the examples discussed above, or review them to inspire new ideas for your own meeting names. Whether you’re conducting board meetings, virtual meetings , a one on one, or even a decision making meeting, mastering the art of the meeting title will lead to future success. 

As you practice crafting titles for your different meetings, keep track of the progress of your team members. When incorporating certain word choices, do your employees show up more excited? Or, is the team more open to tackling challenges? By analyzing the success of your title experiments, you’ll be more likely to improve future meetings too. 

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Fellow is the only all-in-one AI meeting transcription and management software for remote and hybrid teams. With AI-suggested talking points, Fellows enable efficient meeting preparation and can help spark ideas for meeting names and creativity. You can even get AI-generated suggested agendas, topics, and talking points right where your meetings happen.

To keep the organization going, Fellow creates a centralized hub where you can find everything meeting related in one centralized hub. This way, there’s no more scrambling to find where you saved your meeting agenda. During meetings, you can remain fully present while your AI assistant is hard at work transcribing, recording, and summarizing the meeting content that way you can connect with your peers and build closer relationships. Learn more about Fellow’s pricing plans !

Avoma is a meeting productivity tool that helps boost meeting productivity by automating tedious tasks, providing valuable insights, facilitating collaboration, and streamlining workflows before, during, and after meetings. By saving time and enabling teams to focus on high-value activities, Avoma helps organizations make the most of their meetings. Avoma pricing is fair, flexible, and affordable and you can try the tool for free with no commitment. When you're ready to upgrade, you can choose from one of five plans including a Free Plan and an enterprise plan for premium use.

Sembly helps boost meeting productivity by providing tools for agenda management, collaborative note taking, action item tracking, integration with productivity tools, meeting analytics, and feedback collection. By streamlining meeting processes and fostering effective collaboration, Sembly empowers teams to maximize the value of their meetings, identify areas for improvement, and ultimately drive better outcomes for the organization. You can get started for free or choose from one of three paid plans ranging from $10/month to $20/month. 

4. Supernormal 

Supernormal is a meeting productivity tool that helps organizations prioritize collaboration in meetings. Supernormal empowers teams to facilitate more productive meetings by facilitating several tasks within the meeting lifecycle including meeting agenda creation, for collaborative note taking, action item tracking, integration with productivity tools, meeting analytics, and automated reminders. Supernormal has a simple pricing structure, offering a “Free Forever plan” or a pro plan for $49/month. 

Make your next business meeting one to remember

The process of titling your meetings can seem like a great challenge. But no matter what meeting type it is, a memorable title is key to its success. 

To inspire your team members and boost engagement, try not to be vague for your next meeting. You want to be simple, but you also need to demonstrate the reasons you’re calling this meeting in the first place. Don’t be afraid to add some more detail into the heading to be clear about your action plan. 

While a catchy name could be an option for your department, make sure to assess the topics of the meeting agenda first. Once you’ve decided on a title, practice crafting new meeting names as they come. What once posed a huge challenge will start to come to you like second nature. 

Not only will this practice help to make your next meeting more effective, but it will also create more genuine human connection within your company. By keeping your title to the point, creative, and informative, your employees will be able to glance at their work week and be enthusiastic about their meeting agenda again. 

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ESL Meeting Someone New Conversations

The ESL meeting someone new conversations on this page and the exercises will help you learn how to speak to someone when you first meet them. It is important for you to be able to greet someone and introduce yourself. These conversations will show examples of how you can do this.

This page has 2 example conversations for you two read and understand. They are also shown as two videos. These use a lot of the ESL meeting someone new vocabulary , so can use that if you do not understand any of the words. After that there are 3 exercises for you to do.

• Reading a conversation and filling in the blanks with the correct option.
• Writing a conversation of your own.
• Conversation questions so you can talk to your friends in English.

Conversation 1

Situation: Lucy meets a new student.

Lucy: Hello, are you new here? I’ve not seen you before. Tui: Hi, yes I’m a new student. I just arrived yesterday. Lucy: I’m Lucy, it’s nice to meet you. Tui: My name is Tui. I hope you can understand my English, I’m still learning. Lucy: Yes I can understand you, you speak very clearly. What are you doing here? Tui: I am studying for my MSc in biology. I will be here for one or two years. Lucy: Great. I’m also studying for an MSc. Have you met anyone else yet? Tui: No just my teacher. Lucy: Do you want to come and have some coffee with me? I am going to meet my friends. They would love to meet you. Tui: That would be great, thank you. Lucy: Don’t mention it. Where do you come from? Tui: I’m from Thailand. I think it is very cold in the UK. Lucy: Yes it is cold but the weather will get warmer in the summer. Let’s go and meet my friends.

Conversation 2

Situation: Lucy introduces Tui to some of her friends.

Lucy: Hi. This is Tui she’s a new student that’s just joined. Bob: Hi nice to meet you. My name is Bob. Jane: Hi, I’m Jane. Have a seat and tell us all about yourself. Tui: Hi. It’s great to meet you. I’m from Thailand and I arrived yesterday. Jane: Are you homesick? Tui: A little. I miss my family. Bob: Do you come from a big family? Tui: Quite big. I have two brothers and one sister. I’m the oldest. Lucy: It must be difficult coming so far away from your family. Tui: Yes but I have always wanted to travel and meet people from other countries. Jane: Do you like it here? Tui: Yes. I am very excited to be here. Where do you come from? Jane: I come from York. Bob: It was nice to meet you Tui. I have to go to my class now. I will see you later, bye. Tui: Goodbye.

ESL Meeting Someone New Conversation Exercises

There are 3 exercise for you to do now that you have read and understood the ESL meeting someone new conversations above as well as looked at the videos.

Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks

The following conversation has 5 blanks in it that you need to fill by choosing the best option (A-D) from the questions below.

Situation: Andrew meets Tui.

Tui: Excuse me, can you help me? Andrew: Yes sure, __________ (1) _________ Tui: I’m a bit lost and need to find my way to class room H2-202. Please tell me how to find it. Andrew: You’re very close. It’s just round the corner. I’ll show you the way, I’ve got a class there now. Tui: Thank you that is very kind. My name is Tui. __________ (2) _________ Andrew: Nice to meet you as well. You’re from Thailand, my friend Lucy met you yesterday and said that there was a new student joining our class. Tui: Yes it was great to meet her yesterday. __________ (3) _________ Andrew: I’m from Norwich. It is an old and beautiful city. Tui: What is your family like? Andrew: My family is small. I am an only child so it was just my parents and me. __________ (4) _________ Tui: Yes. I’ve not been here long but it I think it is a great city. Andrew: Here we are at the classroom. Lucy usually gets to class early, we can go and sit with her. Lucy: Morning Andrew and Tui. How are you? Andrew: I’m, fine thanks. Tui: Hi. __________ (5) _________ Lucy: Yes I’m fine, thanks for asking.

ESL Meeting Someone New Conversation

Exercise 2 – write a conversation.

In this exercise you should try to write an ESL meeting someone new conversation of your own. It could have just 2 people or more if you want. The people speaking in the conversation should be meeting for the first time and introducing themselves to each other. 

Exercise 3 – Conversation Topics

There are two question sets below for you and a friend to use. One of you takes set A and the other takes set B. You then ask each other the questions and give the best answers that you can. Once you have answered the questions you can swap the questions sets and start again.

The questions have also been made into some conversation cards for you to download by clicking the picture.

If you would like more conversation cards, then you can download my ‘ 80 ESL Conversation Cards ’ ebook. This has 80 cards with five questions each. Half of them will never be published anywhere else.

Question set A

• What is your name?
• Where do you come from?
• Do you like it there?
• What do you do?
• Do you like doing that?

Question set B

• Describe your parents?
• How are you?
• What is your family like?
• Do you have a partner?
• How old are you?

   Other Pages about Meeting Someone New that    You Might Like

ESL Meeting Someone New Listening ESL Meeting Someone New Reading ESL Meeting Someone New Vocabulary ESL Meeting Someone New Writing

Excellent ESL 4U

New! Comments

Learn english, english idioms, kids english, contact excellent esl 4u, site information, recent articles, esl new year listening.

Dec 18, 16 03:17 AM

There are several ESL New Year listening tasks for you to do on this page so you can learn how to listen to the vocabulary.

ESL New Year Writing

Dec 11, 16 03:40 AM

This page has a range of ESL New Year writing exercises for you to do.

ESL New Year Conversation

Dec 04, 16 02:07 AM

There are example ESL New Year conversations on this page as well as some exercises and activities.

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