I am not naturally what you would call a "people person," or rather, it takes so long for me to warm up to a person and feel comfortable being myself that most people don't stick around long enough.
Of course, most of anyone's day to day interactions with people are short and transactional. Picking up coffee, paying for groceries, doing that weird dance when you're about to walk into someone coming from the other direction and both of you try to move aside for the other, etc.
Seriously, just ordering for myself at a restaurant was sometimes too much pressure.
That, thankfully, has improved a lot, but stick me in a room with a bunch of strangers to "network" for a few minutes and all bets are off.
Be friendly, but not too friendly. Sell yourself, but don't make it obvious you're selling yourself.
Cool. Coolcoolcool.
What does that even mean?
Or are they just way better at hiding their awkwardness than I am?
That's the right answer, isn't it? Everyone feels nervous and a bit awkward around new people, but they just don't let it get to them the way I do.
That sort of makes me feel better, actually. If they can learn to be more comfortable with new people, regardless of how shy they feel, then maybe I can too.
But for now, I'm just going to find the literal party animal and spend the networking event playing with the cat.
