I used to practice socializing by going out and hanging outside bars until someone came outside to smoke. Then I'd join them and just chat about what they were into or what they did. Works pretty well because there's typically a ten minute cap on the conversation and people who are a bit drunk are usually more amenable to just chewing the fat. And if it's a dud, doesn't matter, it's someone you were probably never going to know anyway. But you'll also meet some interesting people with cool experiences and stuff to say.
I used to practice socializing by going out and hanging outside bars until someone came outside to smoke. Then I'd join them and just chat about what they were into or what they did. Works pretty well because there's typically a ten minute cap on the conversation and people who are a bit drunk are usually more amenable to just chewing the fat. And if it's a dud, doesn't matter, it's someone you were probably never going to know anyway. But you'll also meet some interesting people with cool experiences and stuff to say.
It annoys me that the smoking area is the only place quiet enough to chat and the only place people seem to want to chat to strangers.