Be yourself (if you're awkward/weird/whatever, that's okay - embrace it), be kind, be genuinely interested in other people, try to make other people have a good

Be yourself (if you're awkward/weird/whatever, that's okay - embrace it), be kind, be genuinely interested in other people, try to make other people have a good time, try not to worry about what they think of you and instead turn your attention outwards to them. Smile! Most people are quite happy to be around quiet people who project an air of friendliness, so you don't have to say too much if you don't want to. The biggest pitfalls I see with technical people in social situations are the following: - trying to demonstrate knowledge (people don't generally care if you're an expert) - trying to be right - talking too much, listening too little It's also okay to be honest and vulnerable. In fact, a great conversation starter might be something like, "I'm honestly not really the best at small talk...want to talk about something more interesting instead?"