I used to be really tensed in public, and when I have to take a phone number from someone (networking event etc) I would fumble a lot, make all sorts of silly mistakes while feeling the intense pressure of the other watching me. Sometimes I give up, pretend that I’ve taken the details, and smile, half friendly, half apologetically. Then I’d go away feeling super bad.
Now I understand that it was silly to feel pressured in the first place. But you know, it happens.
>You can't really pretend you're interacting with a male
Well yes, with practice. Just how you learnt to overlook skin colour, height, dreadlocks etc, by understanding that we’re all fundamentally humans.
Can’t comment much about humour, I’m an ethnic minority so have the unusual advantage that some banters are forgivable ;)