I’m really shy at school and other social events where there are a lot of people. I’m not really a shy person because I do have a lot of friends. And if you ask them they’ll tell you that I’m not shy around them. I have no problem with talking to people one-on-one, but when there’s a large group of people having a convo I just feel kind of lost. I don’t want to be marked as the ‘shy girl’ again this year. I hate that. My friends tell me that since I’m so shy at school it makes me come off as unapproachable and snoody. But I’m not like that at all. I’m beginning to get scared that this is the reason people don’t talk to me. I just have hard times striking up convos w/ random people. There’s just so many things going through my head before I talk to someone that I just give up. If they really wanted to talk to me, they’d say something first, right?

I especially have a hard time talking to guys. I’m 15, shouldn’t I be able to do that by now? I only have one guy friend and I even have a hard time talking to him! All my other friends have no problem w/ it and they make it seem so easy. What do guys like to talk about? One of my goals this year is to get a bf, but how am I supposed to do that if i cant even speak?’

-Hum Dum‘

Hey Hummy, talking to strangers can most definitely be intimidating and I’m sure a lot of girlies out there understand what you’re going through. Try not to over think things so much and don’t worry about what other people think. You over analyze and pick things apart so much that you start to panic and clam up. Like you said, you have tons of friends which obviously means you have a great personality. So why are you so shy to let other people get to know you. Strangers are people too, and they really aren’t that much different from you. If you have a awkward moment, don’t get discouraged, it happens to everybody.

The next time you roll up on a crowd of peeps, flash your pearly whites and just say ‘hi’. This might not start a conversation, but it at least shows people that you are approachable and not just stuck up and snobby. If you’re in a large crowd, just pick one or two people to talk with. When you come to a road block during a conversation, start firing questions. People love to talk about themselves and it’ll will relieve the pressure from you to keep up the chat. And when they answer, really listen to what they have to say. This way you’ll have more ammo lined up when they finish.

Every girl gets a little weak in the knees talking to boys, especially when they’re totally hot. Take a deep breath and don’t sweat it. I bet you that boy is equally as nervous talking to you as you are talking to him. Your initial conversations might be a little clumsy, but that’s okay. Practice makes perfect, so go out there and keep on trying till you feel comfortable doing it.

Hugs, kisses, and all that jazz,
GL Girls