How Do You Cope With Awkward Silence?
• Ascertain the reason for the silence. Is the silence awkward because you are with new, hard-to-read in-laws? Or because parents have just come into the room? Or because you’re with a friend when s/he got into trouble while you were over? All will need different handling. But if the silence is simply due to not knowing the people around you very well, try the following steps. • Break the ice. It is hard, but you need to come up with a good topic to talk about that everyone likes. • Say something. “Why are we all so silent?” isn’t as good as making a new topic, but it is a good way to at least get some sound in the room. Or talk about your newest nails. • Be prepared with a topic, like: • a movie • a new book you finished reading • the news (not something that people don’t like) • Did Charles get the new iPhone?? Did Georgie get the new Blackberry?? Keep in touch with each others’ lives. • Abide in the silence. If the silence is due to a friend getting in trouble in front of you (in wh
