' How much does a polar bear weigh ? ' ' Enough to break the ice . Hi , offer handshake I ' m Xan , and it ' s a pleasure to meet you . ' It is a well known , super cheesy go to , that lots of people know . What people know , makes them feel comfortable . ' Hold on , checks pants yup , still wearing pants . ' blank stare Oh it ' s just that usually after feeling this awkward I realize I ' m naked and wake up . ' Usually gets a laugh , which you then redirect into normal conversation . Don ' t be afraid to have some cheese on tap . It doesn ' t even have to be that clever , it ' s just there to be a social signal . A little flag that says ' Hey , it ' s cool , we ' re all here to get along . ' Things are awkward because there are no social flags and noone knows what to do . Any clear sign will do . It doesn ' t have to be mindblowing , it just has to exist , and people will follow suite . Awkward resolved .