If you're like me, when someone new starts talking to you, it's easier to claim a lack of the English language than to suffer through your awkwardness. It's not that you don't want to make new friends, it's that you aren't really sure how. What if you mess up and say something weird? First impressions are everything, right? It's not that I'm a boring person or that I don't have conversation skills. The fact of the matter is, my head is filled with weird facts and bits of knowledge most people aren't interested in. Honestly, if someone came up to me and started a conversation about literature or the new coffee shop around the corner, I could carry on a conversation for hours. However, small talk is not my thing.

And that's okay.

I have learned a lot from my many years of awkward conversations.

1. The friends that make it through those conversations are ones that last.

If someone cares enough to continue talking to you after five minutes of awkward silences and you stumbling through words...

then more than likely, they are worth keeping around! Hold on to these precious kinds of people!

2. If someone listens to your weird theories without judgment- KEEP THEM.

As a person who watches way too many conspiracy theory videos and podcasts, if I find someone who will indulge in my thoughts about them, you better believe I'm not letting them get away.

If they contribute to my ideas, we just became best friends.

3. It's hard to make friends in class.

College is the time to make a lot of friends and many of them are made in class. It's hard to jump in on conversations with other people, especially if they're talking about something you're not interested in.

However, I have learned that it's worth the try, and most of the time people are willing to talk back to you.

4. It's okay to ramble on about things you care about.

I think the biggest issue I have with talking to people is I get carried away talking about my interests and I feel like I have just made the person I am talking to extremely bored. That comes from years of people brushing me off or telling me I'm annoying for talking about the things I love.

DO NOT LISTEN TO THOSE PEOPLE!! It is completely okay to go on for ten minutes about your favorite book or your passion for antique shopping or whatever it is you're interested in. If you have someone willing to listen, don't be scared to take advantage of that, but be sure you return the favor.

5. Being awkward can be fun.

If you learn how to laugh at yourself when you make things awkward, it usually breaks the ice. Don't be so serious about everything all the time and realize that one awkward moment will not really affect you for the rest of your life.

And most of the time if you admit that you're awkward, other people will admit that they are too.

Being awkward has its drawbacks, but realizing that having amazing social skills is not everything helps. You might be awkward, but there are plenty of other things you are amazing at. Focus on that fact and the awkwardness seems less intimidating.