Don't leave it to the last minute to confirm unless you have a real reason to do that. Leaving the host hanging for a response is inconsiderate, and if they're planning on food or party favors, it could end up with you missing out. Having a healthy, friendly posture and a small, warm smile on your face are good ways to make people feel at ease. When you seem to be at ease yourself, this will make it easier for people to be comfortable around you. Other things you can do: Encourage people to talk about themselves by asking questions and actively listening. Receive what they say respectfully and without judgement, even if you disagree. Acknowledge any similarities between the two of you, as this will build a common rapport. Just be careful that you're not one-upping them for example, if you both had the same test at school, agree that it was hard, but don't brag about the A+ you got. If you want to talk to your crush or maybe someone new, make them feel at ease by saying you're just on your way out but you wanted to say hi. If they know you'll be leaving soon, they won't feel nervous about talking to you for too long, and will be more likely to engage in conversation with you. If people know that you are consistently fun and pleasant to be around, they're more likely to approach you at a party. Your close friends are around enough to see all sides of you, but strangers won't know you're having an off day, so it's important to be on at a party. Have you ever stopped going to a restaurant because of the inconsistent quality of their food? When it's good, it's wonderful, but when it's bad, it's bad, and since it's not consistent, it's no longer worth the risk of going there. It's the same with people and personalities. When people are talking, don't interrupt. As you listen to what they say, nod and make short comments (e.g., "yes" or "go on") that show you're listening. When they're done, repeat the gist of what they said and ask follow-up questions. When others are speaking, resist the urge to think about what you're going to say next. Try to stay focused on what the person in front of you is saying instead. A great way to build a bond with someone is to ask for their thoughts and opinions, and then listen non-judgementally to what they have to say. Ask follow-up questions. If someone says something you don't agree with, try not to get insulted or argue right away. Instead, tell them you never thought of it that way, and ask them to explain further. If the person expresses an opinion that offends you, consider whether you need to let them know that. For the most part, if someone is bigoted, it will be difficult to change their mind and probably not worth your time. Just politely excuse yourself and move on. Appealing to another person's expertise is a way to show your respect for them and to gain their confidence. If you know someone is experienced with something you're interested in, ask them for advice on things. Just make sure that your questions are sincere. You don't want to seem like you're asking just to make conversation. Maybe don't ask a doctor about an illness you have if you meet one at a party. They're not there to work. You can, however, ask them what they do with difficult patients or about how difficult med school might have been, particularly if you want advice on scheduling your own time. Put your own thoughts and needs aside when you're listening to others. Resist the urge to correct them if you think they're wrong, and definitely don't one-up them with your own story. It will just feel like you're trying to compete with them, and this will look worse on you than it does on them, even if they're wrong. Maybe you like a dress someone is wearing, or you love their hair cut. Tell them! Just make sure that you're honest about what you compliment them on. If you're usually awkward in social situations, it may feel like you have to act like someone else in order to have fun at a party. Try not to think of it as acting as someone else; instead, think of it as acting as the best version of yourself. It can feel a bit uncomfortable to practise new skills. You might even feel like you're faking it, but this is where the saying "fake it till you make it" rings true. With time those skills will become second nature, and you'll be happy you took the time to practise them.
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One-sentence summary -- Don't be a flake. Make people feel at ease. Be consistent. Be an active listener. Ask for thoughts and opinions. Ask for advice. Drop the ego. Offer sincere compliments. Be the best version of yourself.

Section 35 USC 101 on patent law states that "Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title." Recipes can fall into this category in two different ways, since they are always useful, they may involve a new process or technique, and they include a composition of matter. All of this is to say that recipes are indeed possible to patent as long as they meet the other requirements. In legal terminology, "novel" refers to something that did not previous exist. This is where things get tricky when it comes to patenting recipes. It's very difficult to determine whether a particular mix of ingredients has been whipped up in someone's kitchen before. There are a few forms of research you should undertake in order to see if your recipe is novel enough to patent. Search the United States Patent and Trademark Office database to see if your recipe has already been patented. Search cookbooks and the Internet for your recipe. If you find the recipe in either location you may be ineligible for a patent because of an existing patent or the recipe will be considered already "disclosed" if it has been published elsewhere. If you cannot find an exact replication of the recipe, you can proceed to determining whether your recipe meets the other qualifications. If your recipe involves a technique or combination of ingredients that leads to unique, non-obvious results, it may be patentable. However, if your recipe is something that could easily be thought up by someone else, or involves techniques that lead to predictable results, it's probably not patentable. Since most recipes invented by home cooks don't lead to results that would surprise a seasoned cook, they usually aren't patentable. Food companies are more likely to create recipes that are patentable, because they are able to use experimental processes and ingredients that lead to non-obvious results. For example, a patentable recipe might be one that uses a new technique to give it a surprisingly long shelf life. Simply adding a unique ingredient to a recipe isn't non-obvious enough to make it patentable. For example, an experimental home cook might decide to add cinnamon to a meatloaf recipe. Though the results might be surprisingly delicious, most home chefs could predict the flavor change that the addition of cinnamon would bring about.
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One-sentence summary --
Understand what makes something patentable. Determine if your recipe is novel. Determine if your recipe is non-obvious.