Sorority Formal Recruitment happens once a year, and it’s one of the most anxious times of year. For the potential new members it’s about putting your best foot forward in trying to find the perfect chapter for you, and for the chapters it’s about finding their new pledge class to take over once the upperclassmen graduate. Even as an extravert, having timed one-on-one conversations with girls can be daunting. Let’s face it, fewer moments are more awkward than trying to strike up a casual conversation with someone you don’t know very well.  Here are some quick tips to lighten up the situation:

1. Talk about who you know and what you have in common.  Mutual friends, classes, hometowns, etc.
2. Ask relevant questions about life, work, hobbies, and pop-culture.  Keeping abreast of current events will provide you with great conversation builders.  
3. If you notice yourself getting bored with what you’re saying, stop talking, acknowledge the situation, and move on to the next topic.
4. Listen more than you talk.
5. With people you have never met before, limit stories to the last few moments of your life.  Bring up casual points about your current surroundings, like the funny music playing in the background or the tasty martinis the bar is serving.
6. Ask about their life. People love to talk about themselves because it’s both easy and relevant.
7. But realize that no one likes a person who treats a conversation like an interview.
8. Prolonged pauses are the best time for a random funny story.  Most people would rather listen to you talk about anything than listen to an awkward silence.
9. Watch your body language. People who look ill at ease make others uncomfortable.  Act confident and comfortable, even when you’re not.
10. Let strangers interrupt you.  They’re not being rude, they’re assisting you.  Let them speak, and wait to be prompted before continuing your story.  It’s usually a good sign that they are actually listening to you.
11. If all else fails, just talk about the weather, which always gets people riled up.
12. And always end well. “It was so nice meeting you” in a light tone is definitely the way to exit. 

As long as you avoid anything too personal, political, or controversial – at least during first encounters – and know which questions to ask, you’ll be recruitment (and life) ready!