So your mother said don’t talk to strangers – don’t listen to her.

If she had her way, how would people connect? Talking to random people is what makes the world go around. It’s an experience fun-loving people must seek out.

So you’re not a social butterfly – that shouldn’t matter. A simple hello is all you need to get it started. Dirty looks could be exchanged from some, but who needs to talk to those types of people anyway? Random-person talking is a two-way street.

You never know who that stranger might be. It could be your best friend for the next 30 years or it could be your spouse, but you’ll never know unless you say, “Hi, how are you?”

There are certainly more hostile ways to do it.

Would Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton have wound up in their famous duel if they had taken the time to exchange pleasantries? Burr may not have been so uptight at Hamilton about a presidential election if he took the time to befriend Hamilton instead of making an attempt to shoot him.

Surely famous duos weren’t set up.

Batman and Robin weren’t kidnapped then thrown together in a room and told to go fight crime. At some point or another one had to have the gumption to say, “Hey, nice tights.”

In post-Sept. 11 times it seems as though we are more isolated, when we were supposed to be more unified. Forget airport security problems, what about airport socializing?

People routinely tear through the airport en route to their port of call without saying a word to any of the thousands around them.

And yet, men complain about not being able to meet women and women compare men to swine.

Look around and peoplewatch – you’d be surprised with what you’ll find.

It seems like sheer common sense to talk to a stranger or two every now and then, but we don’t do it and it’s a shame. Here we are at the heart of the youth of America. Thousands of ideas exchanged by brilliant young minds and some of us refuse to tap into that pool.

Instead we go about our own lives ignoring those around us with a get-in, get-out, get-the-diploma mentality.

People aren’t so random. There’s no stranger danger here.

After talking with someone you’ve never met before for only a few minutes it’s easy to be amazed with how much you have in common with him or her, but you’ll never know unless you ask.

It’s amazing that while we’re stuck in our own world of the greater Charleston-Mattoon metro area, those in Florida, Texas and California are having the same experiences and problems we have here.

College students are supposed to be open minded. But by simply sticking with our surroundings we are closed. There’s a certain comfort zone in that. The average student figures college life is stressful enough as it is, “Why should I add more wrinkles to the experience by seeking out strangers.”

The college student with that excuse is alone – never a fun place to be.

*Nate Bloomquist Sports editor and semi-monthly columnist for The Daily Eastern News. Bloomquist also is a senior journalism major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or