why do you not sit next to people on their own?

nucleargirl

So I was at my new uni, its fresher's week and I didnt know anyone. so I thought, why not sit on my own in a relatively conspicuous place and wait for other lonely people to sit next to me and talk to me! So I did. and I ate two satsumas while I waited.... and waited. Lots of people walked past and some looked at me, but none of them sat down or tried to talk to me! WHY???? I'm sure lots of them were on their own and didnt know anyone?

and today I did the same, and one annoying and very arrogant 5th year medic sat and babbled some stuff at me - didnt try to talk to me or make conversation, just talked at me about his friends. who were also annoying and presumptious - one of them greeted me in Japanese... uh I'm not Japanese! why dont I just speak to you in a random foreign language and expect you to be happy about that! dumbass.

Anyway, rant over. and as Pengy would say...

DISCUSS!!!!!

Pengwuino

Don't steal my line.

Also, what? I was always taught never to speak to strangers. You might murder me with your death fruit.

Closing thoughts: Really? How often do people randomly sit and talk to strangers unless they're trying to pick them up for hawt fish sex?

nucleargirl

I quoted you!

Pengwuino

I expect royalties.

rootX

People in class talk when assignments' deadlines are near.

lisab

Maybe you should be the one joining a person sitting alone.

nucleargirl

sub-tangent... sorry, just must get it off my chest!
I went to the fresher's fair today and there was a DJ society... and OMG...
these guys were amazing!!!! like I'm sorry physicists, but you might have been outdone!!
Can you imagine? Real-life engineers and science guys mashed up with tech prowess and an attitude of creativity, all wrapped up in polite gentlemanliness!!!
..... wow.

nucleargirl

I do! But there are not as many people sitting alone as you might think - this morning, after being kept awake all night, I went to the canteen to get breakfast. and I looked around, there was literally one person sitting by themselves who didnt look like a professor... and I didnt want to sit next to a professor in case they thought I had ulterior motives! so I went to sit next to this guy, and we talked and went to the museum together! and it was great! I guess I didnt sit alone for enough time, or in a conspicuous enough place... must try harder.

DaveC426913

Confusion.

Without prompting, you expect a complete stranger to sit down and start talking.
You get annoyed when no one does.
Until someone does.
And then you don't like it.

Are you sure you're not this girl?

256bits

At the airport one time a while back in the preboarding lounge there was a hot chick sitting all alone, while all the other people were huddled in a far off corner ( so it seemed ). Rather than huddle, I sat next to her and we conversed. Turns out she was in town with her drummer boyfriend from Pat Benatar's band and flying back to New York. She offered tickets to the concert and insert into the after concert party and who would be there none other than Robin Williams. Unfortunately I made a bad choice and boarded the plane and missed out on all the fun. She was wearing some kind of leapard pants by the way, so I guess that was somewhat California style of fashion . Anyways you never know who you will meet if and when you try.

So that is where I got the idea ( from looking at the huddling mass ) that most young guys, or girls, will not approach a lone individual on the off chance they may be rejected.
Probably not applicable in your case but in others no doubt.

Pengwuino

That's my prevailing theory.

autodidude

i'm one of the people who sit alone, always sit on the edge so there can only be one person next to me

Ivan92

Why don't you try starting the conversation? I sit on my own in the front of the class and I am too shy to talk to people. It is not until someone starts a conversation with me that I start to talk. I try not to let the conversation die so I can let them know I am still interested in interacting with them.

TheStatutoryApe

People approach me and talk to me while I am on my own fairly frequently. I find it annoying most of the time.


That seems more like Jersey fashion sense. I live in California and rarely see leopard print. Though there is a very attractive young lady that goes to my favourite bar who has a leopard print tattoo and is named Sheena (I thought that was cute).

GregJ

Go sit and talk to a girl all by herself? I have tried this fairly recently. I walked over and said "mind if I join you?". Almost sat down and before another word left my mouth I got a "I have a boyfriend" and she got up and left (by the way that was not my intention)!

Will be some quite time before I try that again... sigh...

256bits

There must be something wrong with you internet connection because it cut off the part most interesting.

Jack21222

Is it a common practice for people to talk to people they don't know? Maybe I'm just anti-social, but when I'm sitting by myself, it's a fear of mine that somebody will come over and try to talk to me. I always assumed it was a completely irrational fear, because it pretty much never happens. Should I be worried?