TL/DR: Ask strangers for directions instead of using GPS or a friends help

Summary: Yesterday as I got off the train, heading in for what was to be a night out on the town, I realized I didn't know the exact location of the bar where my friends were. Now, usually I would use GPS to get there. But my battery life was low (fuck Motorola) and I needed to save it for the evening. So I played the direction game. As I got off the train I asked the first unsuspecting person and asked how to get to the bar. He didn't speak English well.... But he pointed me in the direction he thought it might be. After walking a block or two, I asked another. They suggested a similar direction. I continued. See, the game is easy, you just ask for directions. But what was different each time was how I felt when I asked. The first, a little awkward. The second, still somewhat awkward. But by the fifth it was easy. My tone of voice of calm, my eye contact was direct, and I wore a slight smile. Sure, I didn't get anyone's number or make any new friends. But by the time I got to the bar I had social momentum. Approaching is easy if you can prime yourself, even if it is an innocuous little game.

Lessons learned:

Asking for directions helped me feel more open to approaching. My night went well as a result.

I learned, and can now remember how to get to that bar.

People generally are receptive to simple questions.