As the title states, I have a corporate night dinner tonight and I can feel the anxiety building inside me as the event gets closer and closer.
In my head, I think I can just walk up to people there, spark up a conversation, and be friends for life. However, that’s not gonna happen and never has happened for me.
What are some tips you guys think I should try using so I can actually talk to people there, rather than just sit at a table by myself?
Some additional details to help assess my situation:
-Event starts at 6PM, goes until 9:30PM
-I started at my job ~2 months ago, no one from my department is going. There will be people from many other depts. there
-I know one other guy there (one of the organizers), but I don’t wanna use him as a crutch to meet people or come off as weird by following him around
-I’m male, 25, fresh out of grad school
-There’s an open bar but I don’t drink, do I still grab a club soda with lime?
If you guys need more details, let me know. I just want to make this time productive for myself and get over my social anxiety. I’ve already gone out of my way by going, so it’s a start I guess 😁
2 comments
Alright dude you’ve got this, main key for basically everything is confidence, get whatever drink you want and talk to whoever you feel like but keep in mind it’ll be a lot easier talking to an individual person then just jumping in a group. Also you don’t have to use your acquaintance as a crutch so to speak but if you see him say hi and all that and just talking to one person will open you up a lot more for others. Oh and complimenting someone when you first meet them (can be about literally anything) will give them a better impression of you. Not sure if I was much help but I’m sure you’ve got this
I don’t have much to say here, but I don’t drink either so I usually get a gingerale. Then if anyone asks what I’m drinking, I can say “Ale, _ginger_ ale.” If anyone pushes you to drink alcohol, just say you have an [alcohol allergy](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-intolerance/symptoms-causes/syc-20369211) or that you’ve had bad experiences or something.
With regards to who you know, you can ask him if he can introduce you to anyone who does something similar to what you do or has similar interests to yours, or even if he can point you to someone who’s good at that sort of thing. If you’re not getting good vibes from anyone at all, you can always leave early as well, but think of a plausible excuse that you’re able to run with just in case.
Also, remember to stay away from [these topics](https://www.kapow.com/blog/event-tips/networking-conversation-topics-avoid-events/).