Help making small talk

rachelg1

I have anxiety & i'm trying to practice my small talk.........say at a till...what can i say I just freeze

Hi/Thanks/Bye. That covers 99% of all till-related chat.

Sometimes you could add in a little more: Hi/Hope you're keeping well/Thanks/Bye/Take care.

Just say hello and see what follows, and stick to the classics and just ask how people are doing if they make the effort to engage you. No need to feel self conscious, it's a self-limiting situation and no more is needed than a few polite words.

"Good morning, not a bad one is it. The days are getting warmer, stretch in the evening then. Do you read Nietzsche? Despite the selective appropriation of his oeuvre by the Nazis for propaganda purposes, his critiques should not be misunderstood as merely nihilistic."

un5byh7sqpd2x0

Ask them how the kids are, especially if the operator looks 17

SCOOP 64

just talk about the weather, and try to smile every likes a smile.

Bobblehats

You could break the ice with “I’m watching you very meticulously” and ease yourself into it with a simple “don’t shortchange me”. Then on leaving “I demand a recount!”

Quantum Erasure

How about this coronavirus, eh?

MarkR

Shops these days are a bit of a challenge. Everyone wants to get in and out as fast as possible! Really it's just pleasantries now. Hi, thanks and bye.

You could say hi to the person behind you, if you're in a long socially distant queue.

Maybe try an online chat? I wonder how many after hours people we could get in a zoom meeting...

endacl

“Do you like stuff?” is always a great ice breaker.

NATLOR

Posting in this forum will do wonders for your anxiety

Mr_Muffin

Hello. I'm Rachel. Would you like to have some small talk with me?

1o059k7ewrqj3n

small talk eh?

Snow Garden

I think this video might give you some great lines.

Edgware

"Didnt know that them Viagras took so long to wear off" always a good opener

Better Than Christ

"Ah sure, you know yourself"

"This is it"

Strumms

“Ahhh is it yourself ?” Is a good starter .

Ask... “so whats your secret to covid survival ?” Conversations flow from there.... trust me.

Kylta

Bobblehats wrote: »

You could break the ice with “I’m watching you very meticulously”

Thats a great line for creeping anybody out. I'd use that line in my local shop and I'd either get a box or barred or both, actually its the box I'd get. And thats of the women.

igCorcaigh

I used to be crippled with social anxiety as a young fella.

And that is probably not where you are coming from perhaps? But anyway, this is just I found it.

Took me to my early thirties to finally work it out.

Good posts already here, mist people seem to just go by rote regarding day by day conversation.

Although, I would say to you, never be afraid to just leave a social situation that you feel you are uncomfortable with.

It is ALWAYS OK to just leave.

dmc17

igCorcaigh wrote: »

I used to be crippled with social anxiety as a young fella.

And that is probably not where you are coming from perhaps? But anyway, this is just I found it.

Took me to my early thirties to finally work it out.

Good posts already here, mist people seem to just go by rote regarding day by day conversation.

Although, I would say to you, never be afraid to just leave a social situation that you feel you are uncomfortable with.

It is ALWAYS OK to just leave.

Except at the till when you haven't yet paid

Kylta

rachelg1 wrote: »

I have anxiety & i'm trying to practice my small talk.........say at a till...what can i say I just freeze

Talk about the first thing that comes into your head. Actually talk to people like you talk to friends, when you finish at the till always say have a nice day. You be surprised how quickly they remember you the next time your in the shop
Actually now that I think about it, small talk is an art form.

Strumms

“Ahhh, there you are now”

“Ahhh, Nice morning out there”. (Still useable if pissing wind and rain)

“Do you come here often”

“Can I have a recipient, recipe, no sorry, receipt I meant”

“Do I need proof of a pet, before I can buy pet food ?” (About to be a much used question)

Harry Palmr

You've picked a particularly inappropriate time to try and improve your chit-chat technique.

Rodin

Who wants to be talking at a till.
A simple hello and a smile is enough.

singmeasongy

I was in my local spar the other day and when i was buying a sandwich the girl on the till asked me if i wanted to go get a drink.

" Sorry I have a girlfriend " I told her.

" Its a meal deal you dope" was her reply.

The Tetrarch

You could try the line used by Joe Ancis, comedian Rodney Dangerfield's friend, a very funny guy, but too nervous to ever go on stage..
Joe Ancis did not like chit chat, but a comedian friend of Rodney's really wanted to meet Joe.
He came over to Joe and the first thing Joe said was ...

"your mother sucks midgets"

Andrew00

Not a bad aul day, think its promised good tomorrow, did you see the forecast for Sunday? Ah sure its never too far away, please god we'll get a good summer now for the turf.

Kylta

Rodin wrote: »

Who wants to be talking at a till.
A simple hello and a smile is enough.

That all depends if you have a stutter and only have a couple of teeth in your head, I'd go with a nod.

Kylta

Andrew00 wrote: »

Not a bad aul day, think its promised good tomorrow, did you see the forecast for Sunday? Ah sure its never too far away, please god we'll get a good summer now for the turf.

You miss the football/pub/hairdressers? ( or anything that's cancelled or closed)
Social distancing didn't get the scumbags of the corner?
You wouldn't know whether to wear a coat/shorts/or not (weather)
That's very cheap wine/ food/ (if you pick up a bargain)

If you using small talk to chat up the person on the til its easy ( hey you I dont do small talk I'm into into aerodynamics, so are going out for a date thing or something like that. Or do if have to get you sacked for making that sexist remark about the vegan and the sausage).

Ferm001

Use the oul taxi chat,

Been busy ?
What time you on till ?
Etc.

colm_mcm

OP was looking for small talk, that’s sh|te talk

Rufeo

"It puts the shopping in the bag" and give her a crazed look. I find that gets me through the till pretty quickly.

Gynoid

Haha a lot of funny suggestions. Main thing is to stop thinking about yourself, OP, focus outwards. Being on work from home now I miss one lady at a till in a town I started work in last year. She is a small stout gruff lady with razor sharp wit. It is a small piece of impromptu theatre, every interaction with her. She is subtle now, not flambouyant, just dark dry mutterings. I love those kind of people. Effortlessly and freely brilliant with zero self consciousness. Focus outwards, OP. Be the appreciative receiver, the audience. I honestly think a lot of overcoming self consciousness is to genuinely like others.

BuboBubo

Just a simple "hi" pack your stuff quickly, say "thank you" then go.

Shop staff are wrecked and don't need ****e talk.

PARlance

rachelg1 wrote: »

I have anxiety & i'm trying to practice my small talk.........say at a till...what can i say I just freeze

"Jesus, I'm freezing here"

Edgware

"For such a fat girl you don't sweat much" is always good to get a response

Capt'n Midnight

rachelg1 wrote: »

I have anxiety & i'm trying to practice my small talk.........say at a till...what can i say I just freeze

FYP

Adam Carter

Start with a neg, then calibrate with some push/pull, hit her with some cocky humour and then leave with her number.

Thank me later op.

briany

Try saying, "Did you see that ludicrous display last night?"

The Tetrarch

You could comment on your shopping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsNq3nQ612c

Kylta

Edgware wrote: »

"For such a fat girl you don't sweat much" is always good to get a response

Especially when he's a big 22st hairy bastard

Podge201

Use big words.

ijohhj

rachelg1 wrote: »

I have anxiety & i'm trying to practice my small talk.........say at a till...what can i say I just freeze

At a till? Say what the rest of us do.

Nothing.

Away With The Fairies

rachelg1 wrote: »

I have anxiety & i'm trying to practice my small talk.........say at a till...what can i say I just freeze

Say nothing and stay away from people

Kylta

Away With The Fairies wrote: »

Say nothing and stay away from people

After practising your social distancing ettiquite. Speak, actually talk like you've never talked before, no don't speak. Sing goddammit, like your life and the lives of other depend on it. I wanna here your voice, refuse to be silent ,SPEAK, SING, TALK let your voice be heard