The Unitarian Universalist Association has a helpful new graphic for coffee hour questions advice for older adults greeting young adults.
For example:
Avoid saying: “What do you do? / What year are you in school?”
Why: For those who are un- or under-employed, work is a tricky question – and assuming someone is a student implies you think they are a certain age. Give them the chance to talk about whatever is meaningful, which might not be school or a job.
Say instead: “So tell me about yourself.”
“When are you planning to have kids?” was the other on their graphic that, for me, stuck a nerve…
What are some of your own best practices for conversation (and not just for older adults greeting young adults)?