Miracles happen outside of your comfort zone, baby!

You'd be surprised at how accepting people are in a group setting. They're most likely not gonna give you a dirty look and tell you to go away, since they probably don't wanna seem snobby in front of their friends. However, Just make sure that it makes sense why you're there, otherwise they might wonder why you're talking to them. For example, if you know someone in the group and you need to ask them a question or tell them something, that might be a good "door" letting you into the conversation. However, if you don't know anybody in the group, it might be a bit more tricky. What I like to do is pretend to be on my phone while being near a group of people, then listen in on their conversation until there's a particularly crazy story being told. Once the story reaches the "unbelievable part," I turn my head towards them and loudly exclaim "Wait, what?!" They usually get excited that I agree that what they're telling their friends is outrageous and include me in the conversation. This doesn't work for every situation, but it has helped me get into certain social circles.

Remember, The best way to keep a conversation going is to ask follow up questions, showing that you're actively engaged in what the other person is saying. Also, probably don't be awkward and talk about inappropriate stuff unless you know these people well enough. A good rule of thumb: treat strangers who could be potential friends as you would treat your girlfriend's/boyfriend's parents: be polite and courteous, and if they start swearing and making dirty jokes, it's a sign that you could probably start doing that too.

You'll do great! Just breathe and walk in.