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How to Find Someone to Sit with in the Cafeteria. Everybody knows it really shouldn’t matter,
but sometimes entering a school cafeteria without a lunch mate can seem like walking
the plank. Here’s how to survive the stroll. You will need Courage Confidence and a thick
skin. Step 1. Survey the room and decide if you want to try for the popular crowd and
risk being rejected, make a beeline for the loser table where everyone is accepted, or
jump in somewhere in between. According to one poll, 70% of students said the cafeteria
was the school setting where social boundaries are most clearly drawn. Step 2. Politely ask
if the seat is taken. When they say no, reply, “Cool, thanks.” Make sure to smile when
you ask about the status of the seat. Don’t grin like a maniac; just smile enough to seem
confident and friendly. Step 3. Introduce yourself. Ask their names, and make a point
to remember them so you can drop them into the conversation. People love the sound of
their own names almost as much as they love the sound of their own voices. Don’t eat
anything gross or smelly. No one will want to sit with you. Step 4. Ask some questions.
What’s their favorite band, or how do they feel about the new gym teacher? Break the
ice with a few inquiries that invite them to chat about Numero Uno. Step 5. If you are
confident in your ability to be funny, by all means tell a joke or make a crack. Just
don’t push it—it’s better to stay low-key than to fall on your face trying to be witty.
Step 6. Be generous with the compliments, even if they’re insincere, and offer praise
that’s unexpected. The head cheerleader is used to being told she’s pretty; tell
her she’s smart and she’ll think you’re one smart cookie for noticing. Step 7. As
lunch comes to an end, evaluate your progress. Have you won them over? Or were they polite
but cool? If it’s the latter, forget them and try a new group tomorrow. Clearly, they
are not worthy of your company. Did you know Approach the chosen clique with your head
held high, but not your nose in the air.