Even if you aren’t immediately interested in a conversation, try to give it a chance and see where it goes. Shutting down and deciding the party is dull will only make your time at the party even more boring.
Focus on the things you are enjoying about the party. Keeping a positive attitude can help make the party more fun for everyone. Being negative will only bring the party down even further.
Ask the host if there is anything you can help with. Try starting up a game of cards or other table game with your friends. Introduce people you know to help start conversations.
You could try playing bartender and serving people drinks. You might offer to be the party photographer and take pictures for everyone. Try being the party’s waiter and deliver snacks to the guests. Ask to help the host out with whatever she might need.
If the party is a dinner party, you’ll want to pick softer music with slower rhythms. If it’s time to dance, pick some tunes that have a great beat and turn up the volume at bit. If the party is mostly drinks and conversation, try picking some smooth music styles like blues or light jazz.
You can try whispering a word to someone next to you and asking them to whisper a word they associate with it to the next person. It’s a lot of fun to see what the original word ends up being. Try asking everyone to say a certain word without showing their teeth. You can play in teams and eliminate players who show their teeth when talking. You can always try playing the classic game of charades if things get dull. One person will try to act out a word while the other players try to guess that word.
Try to avoid topics like the weather, money or traffic. Instead, ask people about their hobbies and interests, what music they like, if they’ve seen any good movies, and so on. Keep topics broad at first and then narrow the subject down if the other person is interested. Asking questions is a great way to keep a conversation open and flowing. Pay attention to what the other person is saying. You’ll likely find they have mentioned a few things that would be a good topic to focus on.
If you’ve already got a friend at the party, try sticking by her. Finding someone to talk with at a dull party can help make it much more enjoyable.
Generally, you’ll want the new topic to be somewhat related to the last one. For example, a discussion about libraries could easily transition into a talk about e-readers and then onto new technology. Don’t be afraid to abruptly change a topic if the old one should fizzle out. Feel free to explore topics that go beyond the usual small talk. For example, you might ask someone what he would do if he were trapped on a desert island.
Try not to drone on or speak in a monotone voice. Allow your personality to shine through in your conversation and express yourself. Avoid ranting or dominating the conversation. Always let the other person have a turn to speak. Don’t interrupt. Talking too abstractly or too generally can cause people to tune out. Don’t talk exclusively about yourself.
If you are attending a dinner party, you should stay until dessert has been served. Ideally, you should stay for at least an hour after dessert. Other parties may require you to stay for a few hours before leaving.
Start by cleaning up your own area or tableware. If you notice loose cups, bottles or other party implements, try tidying them up.
