How do I say hi to people I know when they're 50 feet away?

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This situation occurs alot. I go to the gym to play basketball or something and someone I met before enters the gym. How do I say hi when I'm at the other end of the gym?

I really want to fit in and appear normal. If I see someone I know and don't do anything, it makes me look like I don't like them. If I run up to them and say hi, they will think there's something wrong with me.

I noticed the other day I looked at someone I met and he lifted his head up when I saw him. I did the same thing back for the first time but I forgot to look at his face so he probably thinks I'm weird now. How do you know whether to acknowledge them first or wait until they acknowledge you? Are you supposed to make any facial expressions (like smile) or eye movements when you lift your head up at them? What other kinds of stuff can I do to acknowledge their presence?

[Me and the people I'm talking about are white, males, teens, in the suburbs in the eastern US. I think older people, females, and people in other countries may greet each other differently so it helps if you can give me some info about yourself when you respond but its ok if you don't want to]

This is the kind of stuff I have trouble with because I never socialized much before. I searched on Yahoo for awhile but couldn't find anything. If anyone knows a website that teaches stuff like this, please post the link. Thanks in advance for your help.

sometimes I just smile when I look their way. That way if it really is someone I know they usually wave back and then I wave at them. If I'm wrong and it's not someone I know then they just think I'm being friendly.

Slight smile, single nod of the head upward and slight hand wave.

I salute.

I smile and wave.

One of my biggest fears is meeting people in a corridor or on the street and having to walk by them. One person isn't so bad, but a group is exponentially worse by whatever number of people are in it.

I never know what to do. If it's the first time I've seen them that day, I will smile and say hello. When I don't really know someone, I think it's weird to do that, but I guess it's better to be seen as overly nice than to be perceived as rude. But whether you say anything or not, where do you look? Do you look past them, down the hall? Do you look at the floor (I'm guilty of this pretty often)? Or do you look at them?

It just makes me nervous because I have to approach them and see them for 50 feet and acknowledge them at the right time, with the right expression, so they don't think I'm weird.

I have that problem too but after thinking about it I've decided that if it's someone much older or younger than me I just look down and ignore them since I really don't care what they think about me. If it's a hot chick my age who I'd like to date, then I get really nervous and worry what to say. I also get anxious if it's other guys my age who I'd consider being friends with because I don't want them thinking there's something wrong with me.



I wish I knew. I often look at the floor but I know that doesn't look good. I'm thinking we should look at their face, probably their eyes.



I have trouble with the timing also. I often forget to smile. I agree it's hardest when you can see them from far away and you are thinking about when is the right time to acknowledge them.