Socializing at work

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I recently started a new job. It's not something that I plan on doing for that long (I will leave sometime next month), but it will allow me to earn money until my regular job starts back.

It is a pretty laid back environment and there are a lot of opportunities to interact with co-workers.

There are different sections of my workplace and while I don't spend every minute of the day with someone from a different section, we have to work together quite frequently to get our tasks accomplished.

That said, while I don't expect to be best friends with everyone after a couple of days, I would like to form good relationships with a few people that will last beyond the time that I work there.

Part of the problem is, when we aren't talking about work things, I don't know how to hold conversations that will lead to a deeper friendship. I can make jokes about situations that have just occured, but that only gets me so far.

Sometimes I will walk over when I see a couple of coworkers talking, but if it's not something that really involves me, the others will greet me but it usually doesn't go further than that.

What can I do?

I don't think you can form bonds with people unless you have something in common with them.

Well if you don't want to talk about work things, you can ask people about their lives. Things like what did you do last weekend? How was your 4th of July? (if you're in the States) Maybe ask if they live far from work, how their commute is, ect. That's what I do and granted it is superficial conversation that doesn't necessarily get very deep, but you have to start somewhere.

I can do the superficial conversation and talking about work as well. But I am trying to figure out how to leap to the next step.

This is one aspect of socialization that I still struggle with. I have been at my place of work for over 2 years and have yet to make any friendships there.

I find this strange since I do participate in company related social events.

When I was working at the factory, there was a group of raunchy young women, that I used to hang out, with and we'd talk about work, all the time. One day, the leader decided that we couldn't talk about work, anymore. It was either talk about sex, or sing. I've decided not to hang out with those girls, anymore.