Quick HELP please!! Urgent!

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My friend (who knows of my AS quirks etc.) is coming to pick me up for dinner but she is bringing a 2nd friend along so me/her/new friend (my friends friend) So how do I make a good impression I'm scared I'll freak out have a meltdown/shutdown/saying something stupid! I was thinking find a common interest example :Oh so what courses are you taking in College? etc. Then go from there. I'm scared to meet my friends friend! HELP! (Kind of panicky how the dinner will go be around someone I don't know!!)

Don't worry, your friend will introduce you to your friend's friend. Look at the new person in the eyes and introduce yourself.

Take a deep breath sit down and for &%@( sake don't panic. If someone asks you a question then think for a few seconds before you answer, if you want to say something then think for the few seconds that it takes to breath in. Take your time, this is not a contest or an event where you will be judged. If you feel a meltdown coming on then make your excuses, head for the bathroom and sit on the can for a few minutes in the dark until things start to settle down.

Vanilla_Slice

Thanks for the quick replies I was thinking of some topic ideas. OH there is this new cell phone I want want to see a pic? What classes are you taking? What's your major? etc. (stick to school hopefully the outing will not be to bad I'm so nervous!)

BTW I'll update this topic to let you know how it goes. My friend said don't worry about it LOL! I'll let you know.

You might just play shy at first to get the patterns of things, before you jump in.

A good trick is that when you're asked a question, you can respond and ask the same question back (if it's applicable). So, if they asked how your day was, you could answer, and then ask them about theirs.

Wow Callista that's foreign to me. I would of never thought to answer a question with the same question (how was my day good how was yours) Me I don't sugar coat I tell it like it is my day was sh***y! LOL!) Thanks for the tips though I agree play it shy then jump in.

Just remember that each of them will probably be also preoccupied with their own internal dialogues and trying to impress, so most likely won't even notice if you will be nervous.

I think your friend, who's also your friend's friend's friend...Has got things covered : )

Just trust her, and her choice of company.

Me and her friend chatted it was nice since the girl was nice to me and reminded me of an old friend. We chatted about life and things and it was very nice. Thanks for all the tips!! !

Too late for quick [story of my life] - but for what it is worth:

In such situations, I have learned over time, the more I anticipate the more I panic, the more I plan, the more I freeze. Where I go is my basic advice given to students coming up for a big exam:

No all night study > no prescripting. Get a good night's sleep > do things in the time leasding up to the appointment that will calm and relax. In the exam do not fixate on one question > just let go and let it happen.

Nothing is infallible - but if you are doing a paracvhute jump you to noty brace your legs. Limp down. Trust. Detach.

Its that horrible "what if" syndrome! I just read a book written by a young guy with AS...He gives you tips on how to deal with certain situations. I bought it for my daughter but I read some of it. I believe the title is something like "survival skills for people on the autism spectrum". Anyway he talks about the "what if" syndrome and how we spend so much energy and stress on worrying about things that will probably never happen. So very true, but Im still at a loss for how to stop it....sometimes I can but other times it just takes over!