This weekend I am going to an event with my friend. We are also picking up a girl who i have only spoken to on the phone twice before, but never met in person. So it’ll be the three of us traveling together and spending most of the day at the event.
My issue is that I usually get quiet and awkward around new people, especially girls I don’t know well. With my close friends or cousins I am open, joking, and comfortable like i can talk anything, but with new people, it feels like I am forcing myself to talk, and it takes lots of time before I can really be myself.
How do I keep it good and friendly during the car ride and at the event so it doesn’t get awkward? What kind of topics should I bring up ?? And how to avoid being stiff and let my nervousness around new people mess up things??