INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Ask yourself if you want to connect with friends as well as colleagues and professionals. Decide if you want to get involved with the community or just keep up to date on the newest industry news. Defining your purpose will help direct your actions. That purpose may change, but as with any professional endeavor, it is good to have a business plan. Include a professional picture of your face, a website and an "elevator pitch" of your professional experience and interests. Before deciding to follow, or interact with you, each Twitter user is going to take a look at your page, to see if you have similar interests. Try to make your Twitter username as close to your real name as you can. This way, past colleagues will know who you are immediately. Another alternative is to name it after your website or blog, if you have a professionally-focused site. Then, the username can help you professionally by telling people your website name in all your posts. Customize your background image. Choose an image from your website or your logo. If you don't have access to 1 of these images, choose something related to your industry. Think of Twitter as a conversation at a work-based social gathering. Keep your topics educational, news related, entertaining and slightly personal. You should post at least 20 or more times before starting to follow people on Twitter. Few people will follow you, if they can't read about your interests and favorite topics. Don't worry if no one responds to your first tweets, because Twitter relationships are often slow to start at first.

SUMMARY: Decide what you want to get from your Twitter account, before you sign up for one. Create your bio as if it's an online resume, or an introduction at a professional conference. Start tweeting about professional topics and personal interests.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Encourage your friends to hang out together, even if they have dates. This will help your awkward friends feel more comfortable with their dates and give you plenty of people to talk to. For example: Encourage everyone to sit around the same table. Guide your friend group towards the buffet so you can eat while you talk. Drag your friends and their dates onto the dance floor when "your song" starts playing. This is the perfect opportunity to get to know your single friends better. You'll have much more fun laughing, eating, and dancing with friends than you would with a date you barely know. Additionally, you won't have to suffer through any awkward slow dances. If your prom has a photo booth, consider taking date-style pictures with your single friends. These hilarious photos will be treasured mementos when you're older. . Even if you don't have a date, you can have a great time dancing. Dance with your friends, with your best friend and their date, or alone. If you know how to dance well, show off your moves! If not, you can still have fun by trying your best or dancing badly on purpose. Remember that everyone feels self-conscious while dancing. They'll be too busy thinking about themselves to pay attention to any dancing mistakes you make. You don't need to avoid your close friends just because they have a date. In fact, they may appreciate having a familiar face around while they're making awkward conversation with their date. To help you relax, think of the event as a large group of people instead of a lot of different couples. Make an effort to talk to your friends' dates. This will help you get to know them better. Some of your friends may have come with boyfriends or longtime crushes. Throughout the night, there may be several moments when they'll want alone time. Make an effort to recognize these moments and give them space to avoid wearing out your welcome. For example: Avoid interrupting couples that are kissing. If you see a couple arguing, don't get involved. If your friend is slow dancing with their date, give them some space.

SUMMARY:
Hang out with a large group. Hang out with your single friends. Dance Interact with couples. Recognize when to give a couple some space.