Liven up your drinking party! Fail-safe conversation topics and talk themes
For anyone who struggles to find topics at drinking parties and ends up with conversations that fizzle out quickly, we’ve picked out some perfect conversation starters for those occasions! Liking anime or music can make for lively discussions with the right crowd, but if someone isn’t interested, the conversation can stall.
So in this article, we’re sharing conversation topics that are easy for anyone to join and likely to spark interest.
Some may seem commonplace, but you might be surprised how rarely you’ve really talked them through.
We hope this serves as a helpful reference—and as a catalyst to liven up your next drinking party!
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Get the party going! Surefire conversation topics and talk themes for drinking gatherings (21–30)
This kind of thing about XX that only I know
This is a prompt where you use a participant’s name to share an unexpected story or a little-known fact about them.
For example, “Only I know that Mr./Ms.
___ is actually quick to tears.” Sharing sides of someone that only close friends would know can really liven up the atmosphere.
The person being talked about may be surprised or embarrassed, which naturally sparks laughter—that’s the charm of this topic.
It’s important to be considerate so the person doesn’t feel uncomfortable; choose positive angles or heartwarming anecdotes.
Not only does this deepen bonds among participants, but discovering unexpected sides of someone can also inspire respect and empathy.
It’s a fun idea for strengthening relationships.
Youth Talk
What kind of adolescence did you have in middle and high school? Some people devoted themselves to studying, others threw themselves into club activities, and some focused all their attention on romance—there are many stories.
The idea is to use the theme of youth to expand the conversation and close the distance.
It’s a recommended topic when you don’t know the other person very well yet.
By learning what kind of life they’ve led, it’s easier to find common ground and deepen your rapport.
Of course, it’s also a go-to theme for reunion-style get-togethers!
Bragging talk
Among the experiences we’ve had in life, there are likely things each of us feels proud of.
How about creating a flow where everyone highlights their own bragging points—even small ones—and talks about them as if they’re something wonderful? It could be something you’re truly proud of, or you could confidently exaggerate a minor selling point for a fun twist.
Leaning deliberately into modest brags and crafting stories that invite laughter might be an enjoyable approach, too.
Gourmet Mail-Order Talk
There are specialty foods that can only be eaten in certain regions all over the country, and many of us have had the experience of hearing about them and becoming curious.
This talk is about information related to mail-order specialty foods and seems like it could help guide future choices.
If the flow is to discuss the best items you’ve ordered so far, make sure to really capture interest by describing the flavors vividly.
It could also be engaging to segue into topics like places you visited after first ordering their specialties, or nostalgic flavors from your hometown.
Favorite sweets
In the world of dining, there are countless kinds of restaurants, each with its own atmosphere and menu, and everyone has their favorites.
Among all those favorite foods and drinks, how about focusing on sweets and talking about your go-to choices or recent hits? If it’s a classic dessert from a well-known shop, you can bond over shared tastes, and if you introduce something only you seem to know, it might spark exciting new discoveries.
It could also be fun to pick a shop and discuss which dessert you’d choose there, exchanging opinions as you go.
Memories of games
How about talking about your cherished memories of games like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Mario, and Kirby? It’s a great theme for get-togethers with people of the same generation.
You can segue into relatable stories like, “I played this nonstop in elementary school and got scolded by my parents,” or “A versus game got so heated we ended up in a real fight.” From there, it’s also nice to move on to games you’ve enjoyed recently or ones you’d like to try.
Online shopping purchase history
I’m sure many of you regularly shop online on sites like Amazon, Rakuten, or ZOZOTOWN.
So how about talking about what you’ve bought online recently? You can even chat while checking your actual purchase history.
If something comes up like “Why did you buy that?” or an item you’re a bit embarrassed to be asked about, it can really make the conversation lively.
Of course, since this is fairly private, be careful not to forcefully peek at someone’s smartphone!