Some lessons on social interaction...based off my past.

Post Reply New Topic

During my life I've made some pretty silly mistakes when it comes to social interaction, so I thought I'd share a few with you as a "don't do what I did" kind of thing. Hopefully this will be useful to you, if not then maybe it'll be at least entertaining.

1) When trying to make a friend, don't approach them whilst smiling. This will make you look like a madman/woman, and make them think "Why on Earth is that stranger smiling at me like that?", and chances are they'll run away. This is bad.

Instead, consider approaching them with a neutral expression, and once you've started to bond with the person then you can smile, it should be a natural smile rather than a "I want to murder you" smile. Basically, don't do a Sheldon.





2) Consider the context of the situation. If someone has been complimenting you and seem to be romantically interested, and they ask "Hey, wanna go out sometime?" then chances are they mean "Would you like to date me?" rather than if you'd like to go outside. Expect laughter or confusion, maybe even a face-palm if you ask "Where?" to this question.

3) Also, if someone asks you to "Throw/chuck them a sandwich" and you are really closeby to them, then chances are they mean "Please gently pass me a sandwich", rather than violently throw. Dammit younger me.

4) You should try and learn someone's name fairly early on, referring to them as "Hey...you!" or "We meet again, I guess" isn't the best. If you've forgot their name, just be honest about it and chances are they'll be forgiving and remind you of what their name is.

5) If people say "Can you set the table for me?" what they mean is "I'd like you to set the table for me, will you do that?", expect a sigh if you reply "Yes, I can" and annoyance when you don't.

Well, that was five tips on social interaction from me, woo.

Here you go. Don't be too eager in your friendships. Maintain some mystery. NT's thrive on that.