Top Tips for networking events

If you're as terrified of social situations as I am, the thought of heading to a strange location to meet a bunch of people you don't know, may make your heart beat out of your chest. The thing is, it will always be scary at first, even the most confident of people are a little nervous when meeting new people. Networking can apply to almost anything, from career networking to blogger networking, it all counts and it's all worth embracing the fear. 

Find networking events in your area

Once you've made the decision to do a spot of networking, you then have to find people to network with. There are plenty of places to find out information on networking events, it could be through people you already know in that industry, through LinkedIn, Twitter and websites such as Meetup. Meetup is one of my favourites as you can search for any kind of networking event in your area, they then send you reminders when the meetup is happening and also any related events that you might be interested in.

Prep for your event

Not only does it come in handy when you prep to network, but feeling like you know what you're doing, where you're going and who's going to be there can put you at ease. Do your research on other people who might be at the event and if possible, chat to them online so that when you get there you have someone you already know. 

It's always handy if you know where you are going and how you're going to get there. Have a look on Google maps to find the venue and plan your route so you don't get lost and miss it all together. Finally, make sure you have some business cards to hand, even if you don't offer a service it's good to have some cards with your name, twitter handle and email address so that you can keep in touch with all the awesome people you meet. 

What to do when you get there

You may find that as soon as you get there and see all the strangers you'll be mingling with, your body freezes and you become the shyest person that ever lived. Ease yourself into it, grab a drink, get a name badge (if they have any) and find a table. Once you feel a little more comfortable in your surroundings, slip into a group conversation and just listen in for a while, or find someone who looks equally as scared as you. 

You will usually find that people will notice you and introduce themselves regardless of what you do, they are there to network as well so nobody is going to ignore you completely. Everybody that is at that event will probably be just as nervous, and the important thing to remember is you are all there for the same reason. Collect as many business cards as you can and most importantly, just have fun. 

The Sunday Post: Work, Work, Panic, Work

Trying out BLEACH London Dip Dye kit// Finally watch The Amazing Spider-man in my cozy bed// Lift selfie, preparing for a Uni presentation// I uploaded my first ever vlog!// Trying out the dip dye look// Yummy Starbucks caramel macchiato// View of Cardiff from Starbucks// My Topshop dress I got in the sale// Cooking up some meatballs for dinner// Brand new iPhone 5s// Giving up with the Casual Vacancy and starting Gone Girl// Cheeky cocktails made with the cocktail set my brother bought me for Xmas// My favourite quote of the week, might start doing quote of the week posts hmmm//  

This week (well technically two weeks as I missed last Sunday's post) has had its ups and downs. It started off fairly smoothly, preparing for a presentation I had at Uni, finally getting the BLEACH London dip dye kit and having a bash at that. And then, for some completely unknown reason, my anxiety flared up to gigantic proportions. 

I'm sure I've mentioned that I have an anxiety disorder in past posts and I also did a video on it once, one I'm thinking of re-doing for my main channel if people want to see it. But since doing my presentation it has reached the red zone, critical, the captain's going down with the ship kind of level. I've now had to cut back on caffeine, which means goodbye yummy caramel macchiatos, and alcohol, which as a student means goodbye social life. It has sky rocketed so quickly that I now can't sit through my lectures, go shopping, or anywhere public without feeling like I'm trapped in a box without oxygen. But do not fear readers of LilacGhosts, I have made plans to see the mental wellbeing people at Uni and I am on my way to sorting my head out. This is after many years of being told 'it's your hormones, you'll grow out of it' or 'your just stressed, do some deep breathing, read a self help book and you'll be fine'. 

All of that palava is for a whole different post though so I'll leave that there. On a more positive note I got a new iPhone 5s which I love dearly, but I did feel bad handing over my loyal iPhone 4s, he served me well. I'm also starting to love my ombre hair, despite it drying the ends of my hair out more than the Sahara desert. I would also like to point out that I gave up caffeine and alcohol after I took those above pics! 

So overall, yes I'm in a constant state of panic at the moment but good things happen all the time and I'm trying to focus on those. 

 P.S. If you do want me to do a post/video on anxiety just let me know, I have a lot to say on the subject.