by Payton Gagon: Staff Writer
Everyday we come in contact with different people who all have their own story. We may work with these people or simply pass them on the street. We may smile and say “hello” to them, we may not. We may start up a small conversation by asking “how are you,” we may not. It all depends on who we are and our perspective on the importance of small talk. Some believe small talk has absolutely no meaning because they feel like it’s forced and that it’s not personable. However, that’s not the case. Small talk is of great importance and should be used more often in this divided society.
Small talk is a simple act of kindness and shows people that you’re acknowledging their presence. Too many times people go throughout their day unbothered by those around them. They don’t notice that their coworker is having a bad day and just needs a friendly “hello” to get through their day. Frankly, people are oblivious and are too involved in what’s going on in their life, that they forget to check on those around them. There are billions of people on the planet and think of how many of those people feel completely alone. You never know what someone is going through and just having a small conversation with them could be the little beam of light they needed.
While small talk is typically basic and brief conversations, it can lead to something much more than that. Small talk could be the foundation that builds a life-long friendship. Every relationship starts with simple conversation starters, which gradually leads into those harder and deeper conversations. Most people aren’t going to bring up deep stuff in their life with an acquaintance or stranger. However, if you continually have small talk with people, they will begin to trust you and a friendship could begin.
People want nothing more than to be loved and appreciated. They want to be acknowledged and seen. By sparking up a small conversation, it shows others that you care about them and they won’t feel like they’re being ignored. Some think that small talk isn’t super personable, but it is what you make of it. If you want to make it more personable, simply tell someone they did a good job on something. It’ll make someone's day hearing that and it’ll boost their confidence as well. The world is so full of hate and if everyone took the time to check in on those around them, I believe it wouldn't be quite as bad. Small talk has so much more power than what we give it credit for and it’s crucial we continue to talk to those around us, even if it’s a brief conversation. Small talk is an act of kindness and no act of kindness is too small to impact someone’s life.