Smoking a lot of weed made me pretty reclusive even though I am a fairly confident and secure person. I’ve been trying to quit smoking and replace them with better habits. Usually, I would get to work high and just mind my own business. I work in a co-working space and I’m a freelancer so I don’t really need to interact all that much with others. But today I wanted to meet people.

I’m a pretty decent Chess player so today I just sat in the common area with a Chessboard and a sign saying “Let’s play”. I did not expect many people to turn up but I was surprised. I ended up playing for like 3 hours and at some point, there were over 20 people surrounding us just watching the game. I interacted with many of them, exchanged business cards, and I now have a stronger network at work which could lead to more clients. Just wanted to share.

33 comments

  1. Thats rad! Keep it up. Also if i saw someone with a chess board that said lets play. I would assume i would get clapped into oblivion.

  3. Yayy!! Proud of you realizing you needed some change and actually doing it!!

  4. this is such an amazing idea!! I have a park near me & am coincidentally in the exact same situation, i’ll actually consider doing this 🙂

  5. I occasionally have thought about doing this, I’m glad to know it works

  6. Well done! This is awesome. I don’t play chess but I love the idea of finding a structured way to be able to meet and interact with people, it takes some of the pressure off of the feeling of “interviewing to be your friend” which is how my awkward ass (along with the rest of me) always feels when trying to make conversation.

  7. If I saw you sitting with a chess board and a sign that says “lets play” I’d sit down and play chess in a heart beat. I’m so chess deprived in real world.

  11. Nicest thing I’ve read on Reddit this week. I appreciate people who make an effort.

  14. This is awesome congrats! I’m realizing too that sometimes you just gotta say screw it and take the initiative to interact with people. Sometimes we’re all too shy to initiate a convo

  16. Hell yeah dude thanks for the idea actually. I got a nice chess board collecting dust rn.

  19. What I even like more about chess is that, in my experience, it doesn’t require much talking if there’s nothing to talk about. and embarrassing silence can be justified with just being focused on the game. As opposed to other games that require more talking, or that their nature is more talkative.

  21. You’ve stumbled on an important truth: tons of people are dying to socialize but they need to know it’s welcome. That “let’s play” sign is an incredible icebreaker and introduction all in one. Great idea!

  22. I’ve thought about doing something like this! I just want to get better at chess first haha.

  24. Underrated story, and even more wholesome moment.

    Now I just gotta learn how to get good at chess ♟

  25. Wow! This made me so happy to read. This is wholesome and you are awesome! Congrats on the progress!!🥳

  29. So what you’re saying is I should stop smoking so much weed, and get my ass out to a local game store to play some Magic and make some friends? I mean I knew that already, I just kept telling myself it wouldn’t work.

  30. I’ve tried that at my college…no one played me except one person. Pretty sad 😢

  33. One of my best friends once hooked up a GameCube up at his community college’s common area. He did a similar thing with a paper sign. The whole thing ended up being wildly popular and literally started that college’s very own Super Smash Bros club.

    He was confident, kind, and had a great sense of humor. I remember at his funeral in the small-ish town where he grew up the line of young adults that showed up stretched out the door of the funeral home. One of the most heartwarming things I’ve ever seen. He changed a lot of lives just playing Super Smash Bros in the common area and being a friend for many random people.

    I hope you continue to do this. It’s not just you that will end up appreciating it.

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