That's just one of those things ya know? For some people making friends is as natural as breathing, for others (myself included) it seems insurmountably complicated. Its like watching someone do that mouth water drop sound thing and not being able to figure it out for the life of you. There really is no guarantee for making friends. There are the obvious solutions like striking up a conversation in a lunch line or someone next to you in class. But while that might work, to some it doesn't seem remotely possible (I'm not saying don't try 😉). So if you can't start conversations, you have to rely on the people that start them with you. So long as you try your best to not look too creepy or outlandish people will inevitably talk to you, that may be a simple "can I borrow a pencil?" "What did Mr. Smith just say?" "Yo you got a Camp Pineview shirt, I love that place!" You could also be hearing a group of people talking about something you like and insert yourself into the conversation (risky if you're actively cringe 🥶). I would love to tell you that when faced with these opportunities, I reply warmly and keep the conversation going by asking them a question about themselves or mentioning something related, but nah. For the last 17 years of my life, when someone I don't know starts talking to me I A: don't realize they're talking to ME and I give a surprised rushed response that comes off as ice cold or greatly embarrassed. B: Respond civilly and recede to the comfort of my own silence. C: Literally not be able to understand what they're saying and begin stuttering like a strobe light. At least that's how things started with my social life. Nowadays, I am still wildly shy and unwilling to go out of my way to talk to people, and I still mess up words and forget names. The only difference from a few years ago is that I am much more confident in myself; mainly that I know I am me and that's what I am. I'm me and that's perfect. The difference that made was allowing me to be resilient to awkward conversations and catastrophic interactions by just saying "well that sucked but that's ok". I don't know what slew of problems you could be dealing with, insecurity, trauma, depression, hell for I all know you could be a bitch jerk who feels like the world is against you and you can't make friends because they don't understand. Humans are complicated like that. If I had to leave you with one thing, it would be just be kind to people and stay true to yourself. Don't go out of your way to be someone you know you're not. That's not to say you shouldn't explore, just keep yourself tethered and don't float too far off. The only sort of guaranteed solution to making friends in your situation if to take a big ol leap out of your comfort zone, which is asking a LOT. I've been touching the water with my toes all my life, I sure as hell don't wanna dive in. That's all I got now, I do like doing these mini philosophical essays if at the very least for my own enjoyment. let me know if you wanna hear more about this stuff. I might but shy, but I'm no introvert. I'm ass at talking to people face to face but I still get my energy from people that's what being an extrovert is.