ask how classes are going? that usually works for me. usually it goes from there...like ewww chem or bio is awful isn't it...calc must be difficult...yea...and so on

or how their weekend was. and then comment on how the homeworking was not done and blah blah blah. how wonderful and behind everyone is...

i dunno, i'm pretty horrible at small talk. i guess i get pretty boring after a while...usually i just start from there and then go off on tangents. yay