For some of us, there is nothing more intimidating than walking into a room and realizing you don’t know a single soul (we’re looking at you, introverts). For others (hey, extroverts!), this kind of unfamiliarity paired with the opportunity to meet new people is refreshing — even exhilarating.
We all have our own ways of getting comfortable when we venture into uncharted territory, which is why the people over at ThriveGlobal have asked their readers to tell them about the ways they get acclimated to new places and fresh faces. Some of the tactics they shared for finding their way in a room full of strangers is brilliant. For Margaret Meloni of Long Beach, California, the best thing to do is look around for other sympathetic souls—the introverts who are also standing on the sidelines by themselves, watching everyone else. Once she spots fellow introverts, she walks up and makes contact. Once other solitary souls wander by, she invites them into the conversation—which eventually leads to the creation of a gang of introverts.
A life coach from India by the name of Aakriti Agarwal offered a very different approach. He wrote that when he enters unfamiliar territory, he starts by striking a conversation by asking someone for help or for some information. Agarwal claims this strategy lends itself as a nice ice breaker that helps to initiate conversation. If you want more strategies for surviving in a room full of strangers, have a look right here.
