Conversation Starters

Isa uses eye contact to keep the audience focused on the subject and illustrate the mood in a conversation. She maintains eye contact with the audience on average five seconds before changing position, contact, or visual angle. That way, she also makes the audience confidence in what she is saying, depicts the mood of the persona in the subject, and maintains interest if the audience. Besides, Isa utilizes tonal variation and facial expression to illustrate genuine conversation starters and those that are seldom to result in a meaningful conversation.

When students slump in their seats and text before class starts or avoid eye contact, they are communicating that they need a private moment. They do not want to socialize or are not interested in conversing or forming relationships with other students. This may also reveal a level of low self-esteem or poor social skills, such as face-to-face communication.

I have successfully used the second strategy suggested by Isa. I look for something common between the person I want to engage in a conversation and I. Such conversations start and flow smoothly without awkwardness or annoying anyone. For instance, I may look for someone in official wear – which I know a lot about, and compliment them or guessing the brand of their suit. Although Isa contends that all the suggested conversation starters are inquisitor, I think there is a limit for when, to whom, and how much questions one can ask. For instance, asking too many questions may make intentions suspicious. Nevertheless, questions are paramount as they give the other person a chance to expose their interests and attitudes.