Meetup, anyone?

Hi everyone! My name is Maggie from Red Letter Haze, and I’m your guest blogger this afternoon! *Cue game show music*

This is my first guest post and I’m very honored & grateful to Jenn for this opportunity. I had the chance to meet this lovely lady at the Nintendo party she hosted a few weeks ago, and let me tell you, she sure knows how to throw a fun, classy get together.

Which brings me to my topic du jour: Meetups. With bigger ones happening this summer (20sb Ultimate Meetup, Blogher 09, anyone?) and smaller ones almost any night of the week, why should you go?

Well for one, it’s fun! It’s a great way to meet your twitter/blogger buddies outside of the Internet realm. When I first moved here I didn’t know anyone, so I went to meetups just to get to know people in an unfamiliar city. Going to meetups can seem overwhelming, especially if you are shy (read: socially awkward) like me. Luckily though I’ve gone to enough to pick up a few helpful tips:

• Introduce yourself. Seems like a no brainer, especially if you don’t want to be the creeper who hangs out in the corner and doesn’t talk to anyone. Avoid forming high-school like cliques. The point of going to a meetup is to make new friends.

• Keep the alcohol under control. Would you go to a business meeting drunk? If the answer is yes-seek counseling. The point is to have fun, not to have a hangover in the morning.

• Avoid gossiping about other tweeps/bloggers. The Internet makes the world seem like a very small place, so watch what you say. Stick to your mom’s Golden Rule on this one.

• Most importantly, be yourself.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, you could make some really amazing friends. And if you attend a meet in Chicago and run into a short redhead who laughs at inappropriate things-that’s me! Now what are you waiting for? Get off the internet & connect in real life.?

?Disclaimer: obviously not with an internet stalker. Avoid at all cost.

Tagged as: 20 something blogger, 20SB, blogger meetups, Guest Bloggers