this might not all apply to you, but sometimes if I overthink social interactions in general, I end up missing out on what could have been a really good conversation. I usually like to ask myself what I’m genuinely curious about/want to know about a specific person and let my questions lead into a more fruitful discussion. worst case scenario is that don’t take the bait and then the conversation ends, but most of the time I find people like talking about themselves, which can lead to something y’all have in common.
I also don’t put pressure on myself to “make a friend” after one interaction. some people require crumbs of interactions before they start to let you in!
