Navigating Design Meetups: For Introverts
I am proud to say that I finally attended my first design event! On Thursday, I made the trek all the way up to the city for the Weebly Dribbble meetup in SF. The event itself was a blast — there was great food, drinks, and people, and a ton of great discussion about some of the latest things happening in design.
I was super nervous going into it, being the INTJ personality type that I am. I’m 100% not a people person and really don’t enjoy making small talk with people I don’t know — so this was basically my worst nightmare. A lot of times, the thought of talking on the phone or forcing interaction with others gives me anxiety. Having never been to a meetup, I also didn’t know what to expect. I was afraid that people would judge me and that the imposter syndrome would kick in. I was afraid that I just wouldn’t belong.
But when I got there, everything ended up being okay! I met a bunch of really cool people and connected over everyday design problems we face, and even got to ask a question during the panel and made it on Dann Petty’s vlog (#goals)! But really, going to this thing was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made as a designer and helped refresh my perspective on everything.
Maybe you’re a young, quiet, reserved designer like me. Maybe you’re a little awkward in conversation and stumble on your words a bit when you’re nervous, like me.
Believe me when I say this, but it’s okay.
You can do it!
For those of you might be afraid to go to your first event but have even the slightest interest in going, here are a few things that I learned and will hopefully help you rack up the courage to just do it.
Come armed with questions.
Most people like to talk about themselves — you just need to give them a chance to share. Channel your introverted nature and take on the role of the engaged listener when conversing with someone new. If you just ask a few questions, the other person should have plenty to talk about. I realized that I went into this event scared and anxious about talking, when in fact, I could have gone in confident that I’d be great at listening. Just by asking the right questions and being an engaged listener, you’ll learn a lot about their process and their design experiences, and seem like a great friend. It’s funny that the more you listen to someone, the more they like you.
Move the conversation online.
If you’re more comfortable with interacting with others behind the convenience of your own screen, then try starting a conversation in person and then continuing it online. Cover the basics like their interests or some projects they’re working on, and leave the door open for further communication down the line. Then if you find something that seems relevant to what you talked about in the future, you can send it to them and reopen the conversation. It seems that especially in the design community, Twitter is one of the best methods for staying in touch — so if you don’t have one, create one. It’s a really easy and casual way to talk to designers and get your feet wet. Plus, it’s a great way to get exposure within the community if a well-known designer follows you.
Channel the “lone wolf” approach.
I was nervous going into the event for a plethora of reasons, one of which was the fact that I was going alone. I didn’t know anyone else who would be attending the event and was going in as a lone wolf, hoping I could insert myself into a conversation here or there. Throughout the night, I found that although it was intimidating, I was forced to really start a conversation with someone so that I wouldn’t be that sad and lonely person just standing in the corner. I realized that if I had even attended with a single friend, I’d probably not have gotten as much out of the event as I did going alone since we’d have been clinging to each other the whole night.
I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the 1:1 conversations I had with people were much higher in quality than when I tried to participate in a group conversation. Even though group conversations seem a little less intimidating than having to interact with someone on a 1:1 basis, it’s easy to get overpowered and revert to your natural introverted nature if everyone else in the conversation is doing all the talking. When you’re 1:1, you really have the chance to let yourself shine, and the other person in the conversation can focus on what you’re telling them. It’s scary at first, but ultimately ends up being more rewarding.
I’ve realized that it’s more important than anything to step outside of your comfort zone and really just be willing to put yourself out there. More than likely, people will be friendly, there’s really only a handful of people who will judge you for making a genuine effort to learn and grow. And for those people who do judge you, you probably don’t want to be connected to them anyway. Networking is scary, probably not only for you, but for others too. So don’t worry, just go out there and do it!
