Good. Great. Now he was on his own to do that schmoozing he'd just said he would. With a nervous wave, he turned and went back inside. Maybe he ought to drink some. Might loosen him up. He was usually pretty good flying solo or with a small group. Drop by a bar, flirt with someone cute, he wasn't completely hopeless or oblivious. But a party full of people he didn't know at all was intimidating.

Right. Okay. Just...find someone he vaguely recognizes from a class and say hi. Or find an attractive woman and say hi? Both would be better. Is he overthinking this?

But what he didn't plan for was someone else starting the conversation, passing by and then doubling back, all "Hey, aren't you...?" No according to plan, but it beat seeking someone out to start something.