[peishang]

It really depends on what you mean. Anxiety is something that is really contextual and depends on the person, unfortunately I don't have a great deal to offer on the subject.

Speaking as an introvert, I came across an interesting piece of advice from Ken Jennings, a record holding Jeopardy contestant. He basically talked about how trivia could be used in a practical sense to open conversational doors. By having a great of knowledge on a wide variety of subjects, there is almost a certainty that you'll be able to connect with a stranger, at least at some nominal level.

People love being asked about themselves, and if you know something about a hobby that they're passionate about, you can ask more poignant questions.

For example, if somebody tells me the that they're into juggling, I can ask them about the kinds of patterns that they like to do, mills mess, cascade, etc.

If they're into aviation, I can ask if they prefer flying high or low wing aircraft, playfully quiz them on METAR, and commiserate on how paralyzingly hard it was to be talking to a towered airport for the first time.

If they're into music, we can discuss harmonic theory, instrumental technique, and our favorite musicians.

And so on. It takes a conscious and deliberate effort, but the rewards are a deeper interaction beyond mere small talk.