oh, you know, just..

Here's a fact: When walking by someone, I prefer the usual, boring "Hey, how's it going?" "Good" "Good" "You?" "Good" "Good." Not because I don't care how people are or because I like to use template phrases for all of my conversations, but because when people ask "What's up?" I freeze.

This is what I look like on the inside,

and this is what I'm sure I look like on the outside (deer in the headlights, get it..)

I have no idea what to say. I feel like a socially awkward weirdo. Do I say, "oh, nothing really." Or, "oh, you know, just studying.. (obviously, I'm sitting in the library reading a textbook)," or give a real response to their question, "oh just headed home to eat some lunch and change out of my wet boots from that big puddle back there before I have to go to work... oh, now you're really far away and I'm talking to myself.. oh, hi there.." Or is there something else I should say? Is is sad that I don't know this? How do normal people respond? Probably not the same as I do, which tends to be, "oh, just mmggbll nmnmgllnmg shshshofndnmv....."

From today on, I will ask not-socially-awkward individuals unlike myself, "What's up" rather than "how's it going" to see how they respond and how I should in like turn. So be flattered if that is my next greeting to you.