Going to a party where you won’t know anyone? Fear not! Check out these 6 tips for the next time you fly solo.
Presumably, even if you don’t know anyone else, you should at least know the host. Offering them a helping hand is the easiest way to calm your nerves, make yourself look busy and strike up a conversation. If you’re at a casual get-together (think BYOB), offer to pass around drinks or bring your own to share. After all, everyone loves the guy (or gal) with the cold beverage.
Good etiquette aside, showing up with a small gift for your host is a natural conversation starter. Not only does it give you something to chat about with your host, but other guests will almost certainly overhear their delight over your gift and join in on the oohing and ahhing. This is the perfect opportunity to break the ice and chat about why you chose the gift, what things you appreciate receiving when you host, and to listen to what your soon-to-be new friends also love. Need some gift ideas? Our editors have you covered with these host/hostess gift ideas.
If you’re friends with the host, consider asking to be introduced to someone with similar interests, job titles, etc. Since you’ll already have a mutual friend in common, it won’t be awkward. Plus, by asking the host about something you two share in common, you’ll come prepared with a built-in conversation starter. Piece of cake.
Cliché? Sure. But if you're struggling to think of things to say or just need a break from small talk, showing Fido or Fluffy some attention will give you something to do until you're ready to rejoin the humans. Plus, you're guaranteed to meet the other pet-lovers at the party this way, so it's a great way to find those folks and strike up a natural convo.
Asking where someone got their super cool T-shirt or pair of shoes is a quick and easy way to get a conversation going. A simple “I love your ring! Mind if I ask where you got it?” is all it takes. And you can compliment more than just clothing. If you’ve just met, for instance, say something like, “Oh, I love that name. Are you named after someone?
Start with a simple introduction: “Hi, hope I’m not interrupting. I’m [insert name here]” and extend your hand for a friendly handshake. Or just lay all your cards out on the table and say “Hi, sorry to interrupt, but I don’t know anyone at this party and you guys look like nice people … I’m [insert name here].” Then, after introductions have been made, follow up with a question to keep the conversation flowing. For instance, ask for the story of how everyone met the host, then offer up your own — the more specific the response, the better. Instead of saying “we went to college together,” tell a funny anecdote. Before you know it, you’ll be introducing guests to each other!
Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than other signup tools:
Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!
Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.
Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer!
Long story short, SignUp Sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.
Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:
When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:
When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!
Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!
Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:
With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.