No More Small Talk
Honestly, I hate small talk. I hate texting. I strongly dislike [the implications of] social media in general.
Also, social anxiety is real. It’s an epidemic that only seems to be getting worse—especially as society’s reliance on social media continues to increase.
Honing in on small talk: I cannot help but think “why small talk when you can truly get to know someone?” Why small talk when you have a busy schedule? Why small talk when you can have Big Talk?
It’s recently been brought to my attention that I may not be as great of a conversationalist as I originally thought. I come across as shyer than expected, and it surprises people when I mention being part of a stand-up comedy club at Cornell University. Now, this isn’t the most common opinion from my peers, but I realized there are ways for me [and everyone reading this] to improve upon conversational skills with everyone rather than a select group of people.
I did some research (we all know how much I love research) on how to be a better conversationalist…and the results were astonishing-leading me to this YouTube video and the topic of my next few articles. Before you continue reading, please watch:
After watching the video, I knew what I had to do. I would take this information and share it on my blog. Then, I would ask one of my peers and a complete stranger one of the following 10 questions:
What do you want to do before you die?
What do you spend too much time doing?
What is a new habit you wish to form?
What is your biggest fear?
What do you have trouble being honest about?
What is something new you have recently tried?
Is there anything that you regret?
When do you feel most afraid?
What would you want to do today if you knew you were going to die tomorrow?
What do you wish you knew?
By asking one of these questions, you open the door to a world of meaningful conversation. I hope this is a step in the right direction for not only myself but those of you reading this.
Fun fact: you can also buy a set of Big Talk questions via this link (which could be fun for game nights, or just to reference).
Best of luck. Let’s squash that social anxiety like a mosquito.
