Connecting with people more personally during networking calls

I usually ask about how they like the city they’re working in and then getting into they’re hobbies

My two grains of salt as an older prospective monkey. 

This answer is divided into recommendations (simple steps/actions) and call strategies and points to focus on during the call.

Recommendations

• Talk to more senior people in your school about what to say in calls and what to focus on. It is OK to ask the rising seniors/ juniors about what worked for them and what didn't. They went through the process recently, and you can avoid many mistakes and use their techniques. Plus, they will probably be much more open and unfiltered than the bankers.
• Ask good friends if you can be around in one or two of their calls. This has to be a good friend, or it will be a weird request, but I learned so much from just hearing how one of my friends approached the call and how he got people to talk about themselves.

Call strategies/ points

• It is all about follow-up questions and making it conversational. I've found that when they answer a question, you're better off really listening and thinking about what other questions come up. Thoughtful and sincere follow-ups get them to dive deeper and deeper into a call. That is when it starts becoming a true conversation rather than an interview-style call. 
• Focus on personal transitions in their lives: If they transferred colleges, changed careers, or changed groups, ask them about those changes. They are likely to be really important moments in their lives, and the insights that you get from their perspective on those crucial moments are invaluable.
• Open up first. You are the one asking for help, so if they ask you something, answer with your heart. They will be able to tell the difference and value your opening up, which will create a stronger bond right there, over a call. During a call with a senior banker, I touched on a very personal topic that was rough for me, and this banker is one of my mentors now. You have to take the first step. You have to read the sentiment in the call but I have found that there is much more upside when I talk about things that really matter to me. Corny, but it's what it is.

As with anything else, you get better as you do more and more. And the fact that you are a rising sophomore gives you a time advantage over most people. 

You can always PM me. Monkey helps Monkey.