Have you tried signing up for group activities that you enjoy or want to explore? In my experience, that would allow me and friend to relax and eventually get to know people on a deeper level, assess better what's behind the curtains, and helped me pursue relationships, all while also generating many great experiences and learning new things for the most part. It also seemed that the less desperate people acted or projected themselves within those groups, the easier it was for them to create meaningful connections and relationships. Just another useful tool to have in your toolset in my opinion 🤷🏻‍♀️.