You’ve all been caught in a conversation or meeting where you really, really have no idea what’s going on, right? You try to understand the gist of the topic, but you keep drifting. And then…it’s your turn to speak. What can you do to say something coherent in order to seem cool, collected, and competent?

Here, New York Magazine gives stellar advice on how to give the impression that you are aware, awake, and interested in any topic.