I recently joined a community theater in a teen production and want to make friends in the show, but
1. Everyone already knows each other while I’m completely new
2. I have absolutely no clue how to approach someone, all of my friends either came to me first or were first friends with my brother who I hang around a lot
I don’t know if I’m just painfully awkward or have some sort of social anxiety or what but I don’t have a single idea how to initiate an interaction with someone I don’t know lol. any advice would be much appreciated!
10 comments
Wow!!!
You’re already way ahead! I’ve wanted to do this but too scared.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I’m so proud of you
Me too bro, i need advices tooo
what i do is ask a question and use their answer to make a convo and then just chime in if they’re close to me in whatever convo they’re in.
Start break dancing and recite the Declaration of Independence
Jk, just know confidence is key. Don’t have confidence? **act** confident
You joined a theatre production didn’t you? You should know how to act then
Even if it’s pathetic
Tbf i don’t even no and I’m 28 it just happens
From my experience, don’t make it look like you are really really want to befriended to them and you can’t wait to be friends with them. You know yourself that you are secured and able living alone but in the same time you have to be friendly and helpful to everyone and you know that friends are great don’t be cold or hostile to them. Also don’t be helpful too much or the most narcissistic people will appear and adopted you to be their personal butler while isolated you from other people in the same time.
Don’t be aggressively ask to join at some group activities that people in your new community doesn’t invite you to join yet…Be yourself on your own. And after a while the people in your new community will started to ask you to go to eat out with them or talking to you more or even asking you to join at some activities more.
Then you can just join them.
And if you don’t have mental illness problem or autism or something. You will be able to be with them.
>Everyone already knows each other while I’m completely new
Just because people know each other doesn’t mean they aren’t open to new friends.
>all of my friends either came to me first
So why don’t you do what your friends did to you, and come to someone else first? Just copy your friends.
>what but I don’t have a single idea how to initiate an interaction with someone I don’t know lol.
Complement something they are wearing, and ask then where they got that. Then when that conversations runs its course ask a question relevant to the social context. Like I really like your backpack, where did you get it? <back and forth> So whats your major?
Believe me, people love to talk about themselves, give them that opportunity
Just keep showing up.
I think many already answered well but just wanted to chime in: just take your time and try to join in on conversations, even if it is just first by listening and getting a feel for what they are talking about. These things take time but soon you should see them interact with you more. Super well done so far!