Dress in your favorite fresh and clean outfit. You want to be comfortable, but still show a bit of who you are. Wear something that truly makes you feel great about yourself. Pull out all the stops and grab some cool jewelry that can double as conversation pieces. For example, your great grandmother's heirloom, from the roaring twenties, a watch from your military hero grandfather, or a nifty thrift store find that you couldn't pass up. Keep it unique so you can talk about it later.

Brush your teeth, floss, rinse with mouthwash and stash some gum or mints in your purse or pocket. Be sure that your breath is fresh at all times or don't even bother to speak. People will focus on you and what you say if your breath is fresh. Don't make the only things that they will remember about meeting you how bad your breath smelled and the fact that you kept on talking and talking. It's just rude.

Ask questions about people and really listen to the answers. Volunteer a similar idea that you agree with, or take their lead and tell them about an experience you had that may have been similar. Use what they say to get ideas about what you would like to tell them about you. Find things in common with people, such as animals or children, jobs or places that they have lived. You will never be lacking in conversation if you are genuinely interested in the person you are talking to. Keep an open mind, and if the conversation takes a turn to politics, keep it light and do not discuss heavy topics that are controversial. You do not want to end up in a debate with a stranger unless it's consensual.

Tell a fun story about something weird or cool that happened at some point in your life. If you have a boring life, add details to make them feel like they are really there with you. It doesn't have to be the greatest story ever told, just tell them about something you really enjoyed doing with your mate, like a boat ride or a cozy night by the fireplace when you sat there for hours discussing your top 10 favorite movies of all time. Take the conversation into fun topics that people can banter gently about, like county music versus hip hop, horror vampire movies versus alien science fiction. Get the crowed riled up a bit by making a dumb statement like " Enter Any Movie Here" was the greatest movie ever made. Watch even the shyest people come to life during this discussion.

Hold a drink in your hand and talk about it. Sip on an alcoholic drink slowly, so you feel relaxed but do not get drunk and make a fool of yourself. Ask your new friends if they drink, and if so, what. Ask your new friend if they drink alcohol and if not, why. Again, keep an open mind, because this can easily lead to the topic of religion; do not go there. No one has the same beliefs, and trying to convince people to convert is bad manners. Use the drink discussion to lead into a philosophical chat about favorite foods, and why. Find out about family traditions and share favorite recipes. Everyone eats, so this topic is no-fail.