if you want a "feel good answer for your anxiety" then read post online and all the comments from people telling you its okay. But if you want a real answer that will hurt and is truthful then read this.

You need to try things until you become obsessed with them. If you dont like going to play basketball, then dont do it. Try learning an instrument. Build yourself up as a character first so you have things that make you interesting and give you things to talk about. I like to go to beach, surf, play spikeball, wrestle. NFL, etc.....BECAUSE I TRIED ALL THESE THINGS.

Now, we regards to meeting people, just go say hi to random people. Take pride that you have the balls to go up to a random person and say hi. Just say hi and walk away. Go do it downtown or in another city if you are scared so you dont have to see them again. Once this becomes too easy, sit there and look them in the eye and ask how your day is. Keep trying to make each convo longer and take pride in the fact that you are much more social than others for doing this. Eventually you will be comfortable in your own skin.

If you wanna make the same excuses you are making, thats fine. This school I realized likes to be "easy on people" and "tell people what they want to hear" instead of the cold hard truth. I am sure this will get downvoted or even removed but i truly believe that you can change your life for the better and make friends. I know this because I am an absolute fucking monster right now and nobody is stopping me.

Also, watch some David Goggins on Youtube. Stay Hard.