Nothing to talk about..

[I.J.]

Well, whenever my friends are around, it seems like I never have anything to talk about, and they always start the conversation. and it seems like everyone just knows what to say and knows how to start a conversation and be interesting, but I can NEVER think of anything to say..and it sucks because I'm a fun and happy person, but I just can't do it..it really affects me and I get made fun of sometimes because of it and I'm starting to hate school, when I really used to like it..

I really need some help with this...so got any tips?

[Scarface]

What I would recommend that you pay closer attention to what they talk about. That way if they start talking about something that you may like too, you can open up and start talking with them. You don't always have to talk, but when you do, you can talk about things that you like, or something of a new topic. You don't always have to go along with what they talk about. Just come up with something cool to talk about. You don't have to feel left out. I know what it's like to draw a blank when talking to people because I do it sometimes, but one way to learn more about someone or to find out if they have things in common with you is to try talking about new things :)
I hope everything works out for you. If you need someone to talk to I'm always here

[Sage]

Read books. Watch the news. Look up interesting facts. Contemplate life. You'll become more interesting.

[Ender]

Watch comedy central and learn a few jokes. Get a few smart ass quotes off of here (theres plenty to choose from...) and appropriately drop them in the convo. :D

[steve1234]

Yeah, I also think its a good idea to research stuff, like reading books, internet, news etc and learn a few jokes. Although I still find it difficult sometimes to start a conversation (especially with girls), that has helped me a lot.

[Giles]

I'm probably not the best person to offer you advice about talking to people. All of my friends know that I talk shit..

Anyway, just watching the news would help. Knowing what interesting things are happening in the world. That way you can start and uphold a conversation about... that woman putting the cat in the bin.

[Contra]

In my group, the rest are the ones who normally can't come up with things to say. :P I'm always talking and making jokes.

The key is to find common interests between you, and discuss those, like music, movies, etc... Another thing you can do is watch the news, read papers and those things, keeping up to date, like the others said. The other thing I do is finding things that happen around us, with our friends and such, situations that you have opinions about and you would like to share with them. For example, in our class there is a girl we hate, so we talk about things she did and does, because that is something we have in common, and we all have something to say. We really hate her... :P

Good luck :)

[Jess]

I always have the other person start the conversation too. I just don't like starting it.