Q&A for How to Start a Conversation at School

Say “Hi” and introduce yourself with your name and grade. Ask them for the same information. You can also ask the new student where they moved from and how it’s going at the new school. See if they want to play together at recess or sit together at lunch.

Try to start off with the people who also seem shy. Talking to these people helps to build confidence and it is a good starting point. Then, try to set goals for yourself and talk to someone new every day. When you're able to do this and you see that nothing bad happens, you'll feel a lot more comfortable.

Maybe point to his backpack and casually say, "I love that band!" and tell him why. Just start simply.

You need to put yourself out there. That means joining groups and going to events. It may feel awkward at first, but it'll get easier. Look for someone else who looks awkward and just go over and make small talk. You can do it!

Go ahead and talk but start with a simple "Hi" and tell him or her your name.

If you feel like a third wheel then you should talk to your friends about it, if they get irritated or annoyed about you saying this then they are not considering your feelings and you should try to find new friends that do appreciate you.

That's very sweet, but don't start off the conversation by telling her she inspires you. Instead, strike up a conversation about a book she maybe holding or something thought-provoking she said in class. Try to have a short conversation with her every day until you've built up a solid friendship, then go from there.

Like attracts like. In other words, if you exhibit good behavior and habits, you won't attract bad people, and vice-versa.

Talk to a girl just like you would anyone else, just say "hi" or ask them a question about themselves. You could also try making a joke. Girls like guys with a sense of humor.

First of all, the most obvious reason this is happening is because he has a crush on you, but he's too shy to approach you. So let that information determine how you react. You could just go up and say hi, or you could tell him that you don't appreciate him staring at you, and you'd like him to stop. It really depends on how you feel about the guy and what you'd like to get out of the interaction. Of course, you could also just ignore him altogether and wait for him to talk to you. Most likely he'll get the nerve up eventually.

Do they really hate you, or do you just feel like they do? Try talking to them about the way you're feeling. If they're treating you in a way you don't like, stand up for yourself and tell them to stop. Otherwise, you might need to find new friends.

One way is to think of something specific you want to ask one of them that can be discussed publicly. "Hey Alice, I heard you know a good geography tutor; can you tell me more?" But don't just butt in, obviously. Position yourself in earshot, use body language to show you're there, and wait for an opening. The group will likely split in smaller groups, but at least everyone will have heard you that first time.

Don't focus on being too shy to talk to all people, but pick one single human being instead and say hi. Keep the first conversations really short, do your very best to walk away as quickly as possible. "Hi, how are you? Great test yeah, I thought so too. OK, talk to you again tomorrow!" You'll feel good about yourself, and there won't be awkward silences. Listen to what the other person says and come back to that the next day.

Start by smiling and saying hi. After you've done that, say something like, "So, how are you liking the school so far?" When he answers, ask a few follow-up questions, maybe about what teachers he likes or dislikes, if he's doing any extracurricular activities, etc.

Firstly, introduce yourself to a group of friendly looking people or if someone says hello to you first don't be afraid to reply with a hello to them. If you talk to a few people a lot over a period of days, try to hang out with them more. But most importantly, be confident!

The good news is you only need to know half of what to say. It's a conversation, after all; trust that he will carry the other half of the conversation. Ask him what he's interested in, and spend three minutes talking about that. End the conversation quickly; it leaves open questions for a follow up, avoids awkward silences and piques his interest.

Just be confident in yourself, and don't worry about embarrassing yourself. It's only small talk.

Just find a time when you're together, or if you're texting, maybe at night, try sharing something about yourself that is a bit more personal and deeper than just small talk, and see what happens from there. You could also try voicing your opinion on some deep topic related to politics, religion, etc.

If you want to make a friend, then it's up to you to find a topic that the person is interested in, not drop it along with your opinions. There'll be plenty of time later to discuss these ideas. If you are on a mission to convince everyone you're right, then just about everyone will run away. You have a right to any opinion, but that doesn't include an obligation for others to listen to you. Know your audience; don't cater to them or try to please them, but start from common ground.

Before you leave, ask yourself if you're biased. If we get it into our head that penguins are pink, we're capable of ignoring every single penguin that doesn't meet our expectation, and when we find a pink one, we'll say, "See, they're all pink!" So if you got it in your head that they're leaving you out, look at all the evidence, not just the evidence that confirms what you think. This is called confirmation bias. If they are leaving you out, first ask what's going on; it could be a misunderstanding. All this is assuming you still want to be in the band; if not, quit. But learn about confirmation bias; it's interesting.

All the boring obligatory topics have been talked about, the things we talk about with people who are not really friends. But you two are friends, so with those out of the way, you're finally free to talk about anything you want. Are you interested in space, what do you think happens after we die, do you want to learn about Peru, how do you feel about this new virus? Bring anything that interests you to him, see what he thinks. It's also very unlikely that you know everything about him; research some conversation questions online to go a little deeper with your conversations.

When you hang out with your friend, it's fine to keep it just the two of you. Your friend may fear that you'll stop being their friend if others join, or they may just simply like being one-on-one with you. That's fine. But the time you spend hanging out with friends doesn't have to all go to this friend. You're perfectly allowed to hang out with other people without this friend, while still keeping the current friendship. No one can tell you who you can and can't be friends with though, so don't allow this friend to limit you, or impose any restriction on your other friendships.

Don't listen to any negativity. As I quieter person myself, I understand your struggles. Have confidence within yourself and block out your classmates' opinions. Tell them that it's none of their business whether you want to talk or not. Keep on being you!

If you have a shared interest, try talking about that. Or, tell her about some of your interests, and you may discover that you share some that way. Sharing a favorite song, artist, musical, athlete, book, author, TV show, movie, or anything along those lines can go a long way. Even try sharing something you did over the weekend or something you're looking forward to doing.

It depends on the person. The person could be an introvert. Maybe he or she tend to listen more than they talk. They may also be quiet because they are shy or uncomfortable.

Just be yourself and start conversations with people. Still keep in touch with your old friends. However, focus on yourself and your goals. A good friend should be happy that you'll be going to a gifted and talented school.

Compliment him. Boys don't often get compliments, so if he likes you, doing so will make it all the better. Since you're shy, maybe just drop subtle hints, and if he is into you, make him come to you, not the other way around.

Try messaging her via a messaging app. Introduce yourself there, and let her know who you are. That could help you to gain the courage to talk to her.

You can try messaging her via your device. This could work, because you can message her privately, rather than having a whole group checking on you.