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How to survive a party alone

Person drinking a glass of wine at a party with friends.

Going to a party where you won’t know anyone? Fear not! Check out these 6 tips for the next time you fly solo.

1. Lend a helping hand

Presumably, even if you don’t know anyone else, you should at least know the host. Offering them a helping hand is the easiest way to calm your nerves, make yourself look busy and strike up a conversation. If you’re at a casual get-together (think BYOB), offer to pass around drinks or bring your own to share. After all, everyone loves the guy (or gal) with the cold beverage.

2. Bring a host/hostess gift

Good etiquette aside, showing up with a small gift for your host is a natural conversation starter. Not only does it give you something to chat about with your host, but other guests will almost certainly overhear their delight over your gift and join in on the oohing and ahhing. This is the perfect opportunity to break the ice and chat about why you chose the gift, what things you appreciate receiving when you host, and to listen to what your soon-to-be new friends also love. Need some gift ideas? Our editors have you covered with these host/hostess gift ideas.

3. Ask for an introduction

If you’re friends with the host, consider asking to be introduced to someone with similar interests, job titles, etc. Since you’ll already have a mutual friend in common, it won’t be awkward. Plus, by asking the host about something you two share in common, you’ll come prepared with a built-in conversation starter. Piece of cake.

4. Look around for the dog/cat of the house

Cliché? Sure. But if you're struggling to think of things to say or just need a break from small talk, showing Fido or Fluffy some attention will give you something to do until you're ready to rejoin the humans. Plus, you're guaranteed to meet the other pet-lovers at the party this way, so it's a great way to find those folks and strike up a natural convo.

5. Offer up a compliment

Asking where someone got their super cool T-shirt or pair of shoes is a quick and easy way to get a conversation going. A simple “I love your ring! Mind if I ask where you got it?” is all it takes. And you can compliment more than just clothing. If you’ve just met, for instance, say something like, “Oh, I love that name. Are you named after someone?

6. Just walk up and introduce yourself

Start with a simple introduction: “Hi, hope I’m not interrupting. I’m [insert name here]” and extend your hand for a friendly handshake. Or just lay all your cards out on the table and say “Hi, sorry to interrupt, but I don’t know anyone at this party and you guys look like nice people … I’m [insert name here].” Then, after introductions have been made, follow up with a question to keep the conversation flowing. For instance, ask for the story of how everyone met the host, then offer up your own — the more specific the response, the better. Instead of saying “we went to college together,” tell a funny anecdote. Before you know it, you’ll be introducing guests to each other!

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What makes Evite SignUp Sheets different from SignUpGenius?

Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than SignUpGenius:

  • 100% free: SignUp Sheets are free to use.
  • Ad-free: No popup ads ever! Our signup sheets remain clutter-free, keeping your volunteers focused on signing up.
  • No extra login required: Seamlessly use your Evite account to create and manage your signup sheets, keeping all your events in one convenient location.
  • Automatic reminders and notifications: Stay on top of your event with automated reminders and notifications for you and your participants. Perfect for busy parents, teachers and anyone juggling multiple commitments.
  • Customization options: Tailor your signup sheets to your specific event, whether it's a school fundraiser, potluck, volunteer opportunity or team activity. Add custom tasks, time slots and requirements for smooth coordination.
  • User-friendly experience: Our intuitive interface makes creating and sharing signup sheets simple for everyone, regardless of tech experience.
  • Real-time updates: Get instant notifications whenever someone signs up or makes a change, so you always know where things stand.

Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!

What is a signup sheet?

Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.

Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer! 

Long story short, signup sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.

How do I create a signup sheet?

Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:

  1. Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:
    • Signup sheets for one day events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
    • Signup sheets for single or multiple day events (with time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing concession stand volunteers, fundraisers, parent-teacher conferences, meal train, post-game snack duty or during appreciation week.
  1. After selecting your sheet template, create a title for your signup sheet and add the date, the location, the time (if applicable), who the organizer is, the organizer’s phone number or email and an optional note describing the event to your volunteers. You can also change your signup sheet background and title image if you wish!
  1. Next, create slots for your signup sheet. If you aren’t logged into your account, you will need to do so at this point, but luckily, you can use your existing Evite account (no need to create yet another login!). What you’ll include here will depend on what your event needs, but you can include a list of what’s needed (along with optional descriptions), how many volunteers are needed, and dates and times.
  1. After creating your slots, you can then add a wish list from any retailer or include supply suggestions from Evite’s retailer partners. These are to help your volunteers find and purchase supplies quickly and easily.
  1. Finally, review your sheet, copy your shareable link and send it out to everyone on your list! Every time a volunteer signs up for a slot on your signup sheet, Evite will email you. We will also send reminders to you and your volunteers before your event so no one will forget about it, and we’ll even let volunteers know if you remove their slot or cancel your event sheet so you don’t have to!

What information should be included on a signup sheet?

When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:

  1. A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
  1. When and where the event is taking place. 
  1. The organizer’s name and phone number.
  1. Slots for volunteers to choose from. Once you choose the SignUp Sheets template that fits the occasion, the slots you’ll need for your sheet will be right there and ready for you to add the relevant info, such as dates, times, items to bring and tasks to complete. 

When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!

Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!

What are the benefits of using a signup sheet template?

Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:

  • A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
  • Shareable links for quick and easy sharing.
  • No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
  • The option to add a wish list to help your volunteers out.
  • Automatic reminders—we’ll remind everyone on your behalf.
  • An easy-to-use experience with eye-catching guided templates.
  • Clean, modern designs with no pop-up ads.

With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.

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