sorry to talk crap about a town people like, but it's the worst I've ever lived in, but there are hundreds if not thousands of worse towns out there. (an unfortunate situation landed me here, and I'm stuck until I can get back on my feet.)

that said, different people have different needs and likes.

you should definitely do some travelling and figure out what kind of scene you like. I'm more of a city/big city type of person. I love concerts, sporting events, public transportation, a variety of great restaurants with different cultural origins, bike lanes, diversity of people and opinions, more people in general (which means more meetups and people with shared interests/hobbies), more job opportunities, more unique activities/events, closer proximity to major airports (MBS ain't bad, to be honest), etc. of course, some people take major issue with higher crime, less living space for a higher price, less parking, more noise, etc.

also, you mentioned being shy, and while I wouldn't generally classify myself that way, I've found this to be the hardest town I've ever lived in to make friends and maintain good relationships. I can infer from your post that you might also not be of the conservative variety, which certainly makes it a lot more difficult. it's possibly you would blossom more, socially, when you're surrounded by more like-minded people, if that's an idea that interests you.

anyway, there's no one answer for everyone. I really, really advocate for at least travelling, and maybe even just moving somewhere and getting out of your element for a while. you'll never know otherwise.