So, you’re socially awkward. Now what?

Blink twice if you’re a socially awkward human being even prior to the pandemic. I feel you, sweetie. And I think we can all agree that the mandatory physical distancing has made our social skills even worse—to the point that we overthink literally every message we send.

But hey, as cliché as this may sound, it’s never too late to channel our inner conversationalist and save what’s left of our social skills (if there’s any).

Ask for their preferred platform

Most of us prefer texts as it buys us time to think of a half-witty response. Though some people prefer calls because of the instant-response factor. Bottom line, it’s important to ask the other party their preferred mode. This will make them feel cared for and allow them to ease up a bit.

Reach out during working hours

It might come off as disrespectful if we contact someone before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m.—especially if we’re going to discuss work-related concerns. But if it’s really an emergency, try to at least send a text first. Trust me, sending an “Is it a good time to call?” message before calling does wonders.

Avoid sending unsolicited photos

Randomly sending people photos they didn’t ask for is usually why personal conversations turn awkward. Please, it’s not that hard to ask if they want to see our photos before sending them. You don’t want to come off as that rando from school with a tendency to overshare.

Don’t be a Casper

Yup, I’m talking about ghosting. First of all, that’s rude. I understand that there are days when we suddenly don't feel like talking to anyone—even when we’re already in the middle of a convo. But at least shoot them a text that you aren’t in the mood or something. We wouldn’t want to ruin any chances here, would we?

Originally published in Shopmag Online

Header photo courtesy of Fausto Sandoval on Unsplash