The semester is starting back up and i’m terrible at speaking words.

This doesn’t have to be aimed at college students, just conversation starters anywhere would be very much appreciated.

  • Cracks_InTheWalls@sh.itjust.works
    8·
    9 days ago

    Not a great lead itself, but a useful poke a hippy at a festival taught me when the opening conversation starts to fizzle out a bit: “what do you want to tell me? It can be anything at all, take a moment to think about it.” Then sit with the silence a bit (don’t stare at them, let them think).

    Some people will tell you some wild shit and/or open up like crazy if given this invitation. The person who used it on me got my whole life story, shit I was trying to work through by (in part) being there in the first place, etc. The last person who I did this with told me some defining moments in the development of their politics and worldview.

    Create comfort, give an open invitation and a little space, and you’d be surprised how quickly you might move from small talk to more substantial stuff. Recommend everyone try it once just to see what the outcome is, so far it’s been pretty neat.

    • HurricaneLiz@hilariouschaos.comEnglish
      3·
      9 days ago

      You might like the “If you could invent anything in the world, what would it be?”

      I used to sketch out ppls’ answers and give them the drawing to remind them they’re creative even if they never considered themselves in that light before. Bc every single person I ask can come up with at least one thing, from jeans with a star patch on the back pocket to a tiny home village arrayed a certain way.

      • Cracks_InTheWalls@sh.itjust.works
        3·
        9 days ago

        Well I mean, obviously they are hippies you can capture and collect. Sometimes people try to get them to battle, but 99% of them don’t like/aren’t particularly good at fighting, so they are mostly pets.

        Lol, j/k. By poke I meant a conversational poke/prod technique, by hippy I meant…well, a hippy that shared the tip.