Blog: How to Fill an Awkward Silence

As I often find myself in uncomfortable situations, today I thought I’d explore the fine art of filling awkward silences. While it’s true that some silences are meant to be kept, awkward ones can and should be broken.

Now, awkward isn’t the same as embarrassing. In embarrassing situations you should either laugh at yourself or run away. Simple. Like when I accidently called one of my male teachers “ma’am” in front of the entire class or when I went to an interview and was told in all seriousness that I had to sing the national anthem in front of over a hundred people. Once I even walked into the men’s restroom at Steak N’ Shake. I’ve blocked that particular memory until now. As you can see, I have a lot of experience with this topic. Awkward situations, though, must be dealt with in a more complex manner. Should you not deal with your situation properly, you may find yourself in even worse awkward silence. So, without further ado –here are the few ways to fill a silence that I have discovered in my many years of awkwardness.

Firstly, a great way to break the tension is an annoying joke. Considering my extremely poor memory, I don’t really have a great many jokes in my arsenal that I can just pull out, but you really don’t need more than one. I prefer to burst out with, “Where do cows go for fun?” and then when the person just stares at you, you promptly yell out, “The mooooovies! Get it?” This is a particularly good way to laugh off the awkwardness of before. Because, it’s not the joke that’s funny, it’s the way you’ve presented yourself.

If that doesn’t work, it is wise to sing or hum a theme from a popular television show. You might have to try a few different ones before you land on a winner, but generally the person or people you are with will catch on and you can then have a decent conversation about the television show.

Next, you should mention something about the setting you are in that is blatantly wrong. The weather is usually the most obvious thing. For example, I might say, “It’s looking pretty dismal out, don’t you think?” to which the other person could respond, “Are you kidding me? There’s a double rainbow right there!” This works because you are giving the other person a chance to correct you, which in turn makes them think that they are a good deal more cunning than you are. This new confidence leads them to feel less intimidated and they may strike up a more normal conversation.

The simplest and most effective method to filling a silence is to ask a question. Go with your instincts on this one. If you’re rushing a sorority, you could compliment one of the girls and ask them where they got their cute purse. If you’re with a guy who looks like he may enjoy video games (it’s usually a good bet) ask which one is his favorite! Questions are great conversation starters because the each person gets to know the other person, and if one person asks a question, a nice, not too egotistical person will probably feel comfortable enough to ask one back!

Some of these methods may seem obvious and silly, but it is surprising how many awkward moments a person can come upon in a day. So, break the silence! Or just sit there and stare at your partner in awkwardness for as long as it takes for some outside influence to break it for you. Your choice. Though, I’d try for the more humorous and interesting approach. These methods can help you get to know people and maybe even make some new friends. I’m definitely going to be using some of these techniques when college orientation rolls around next year!