SOCIAL MEETING ASSIGNMENT

[lukemack10]

Sentence 1- I hoped that the meeting would go well.
I'm normally a fairly outgoing person so I was not super nervous but since these are people that I'm going to work with this semester I was hoping to leave a good first impression and hopefully get a better understanding of who they were. I met Nikklas and Nathan in the library on the first floor, so it wasn't the most social of settings (we definitely were not going to be drinking beer) and I was a few minutes late so I felt that I didn't exactly start off on the strongest note.
Sentence 2- Germany was a large part of our conversation.
Nikklas is from Germany, so I think that Nathan and I were curious to discuss why he chose to come to the U.S., what kind of beer was most popular there, the current political system as well as what he thought of our own domestic politics. We learned that he came to the U.S. for school as well as the soccer team, that they mostly drink warm beer in Germany (even though we all agreed cold was best) and that a lot of Europeans think we're very interesting people.
Sentence 3- I didn't want there to be any lulls in conversation.
I think anyone who meets a new acquaintance wants the conversation to flow smoothly without awkward silences or lulls in the discussion. Though I tried to come equipped with my best conversation starters I learned that awkward pauses or silences are ultimately inevitable. We had a few throughout the entire discussion, however, I think it went a lot better than we all expected- though some beers would have probably made it a lot better.

[lukemack10]

Pre Meeting Notes
Feeling optimistic yet somewhat nervous
Worried about lulls in conversation
Hoping that there is some kind of connection
Hoping the meeting doesn't last more than 45 mins

Post Meeting Notes
Nikklas- Tall, German, athletic, somewhat reserved
Nathan- Average in height, redhaired, laid-back

Meeting lasted about 45 mins
No beer/coffee- met in the library

Brought up class and Sanjiv- tried to deter from topic because of instructions

Asked Nikklas about Germany:
Political system
How much beer do they drink?
Came to U.S. for college/soccer team

Several lulls in conversation
Nikklas leaves after about 30 mins

Nathan- Asked him about involvement on campus, says he does not participate in extracurriculars
Transferred from UTampa
Gave me a business card for his company "Fulcrum"

Ran out of things to discuss and I had class so I left

[lukemack10]

3 dichotomies

Hoping/meeting
Topic/Germany
Lulls/talk

WORD POOLS

Hoping- want, lust, intent
Meeting-community, gathering
Topic- subject, category
Germany- country, region, Europe
Lulls- silence, pause, awkward
Talk- speak, discuss, communicate