Think about what it's like to be at a birthday dinner where you have to interact with your friend's neighbors for the first time, or what it's like to be waiting for a Zoom to begin with coworkers you ...

Why do we humans make small talk? We spend a lot of time worrying about how to chit-chat amusingly or captivatingly. We complain when it seems trivial or a waste of time, and we bemoan the stress of a ...

Small talk has been a pain point for me for years, but it sank to new lows at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was at the playground one day, sweating in a K-95 while pushing my maskless ...

Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. You’re standing in line at ...

ATLANTA — You're standing in line at the supermarket or drugstore when a stranger speaks up. "Hello, how are you?" the stranger greets you. "Good, and you?" might be your response. Your conversation ...

A close-up of a barista making a delicious latte coffee with milk. “Maybe it’s just a midwestern thing, but can we please stop having the cashiers ask intrusive questions to the patrons as they check ...

Nick Enfield does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...

Whenever my cappuccino is served quickly — something that usually happens at Dunkin' and Starbucks — I approach the servers and say in Spanish or English, “I have a complaint.” They often look puzzled ...

There’s a big difference between someone who’s antisocial and someone who just doesn’t enjoy small talk. While some people thrive on quick chats about the weather or weekend plans, others feel their ...

Springfest, USC’s annual concert for the Spring semester, featured student acts such as Small Talk, who showed off their collaborative talent. (Srikar Kolluru / Daily Trojan) Corbin Berghoff, a ...