Not a doomer normally as I try and spin everything in a positive way, however this problem seems to be impossible for me to solve currently. I think I can not make real friends anymore.
Before covid I had 2 friend groups I was active in. I always was a shy person with social anxiety but I didn't let it affect me too much.
Then BAMM the pandemic hits my friend group dissolves and those issues somehow grew tenfold. I can barely hold a conversation and even if I do the other person usually never talks to me again unless I reach out. It's just exhausting so I kind of gave up.
I am at university with lot of international students and I tried going to meetups and parties but since I know nobody or even the people I know I am not close with, I can't join in any "cliques" so I usually show up see if anybody is open to talking to someone new and when I inevitably find out the answer is no I just leave.
Part of the issue could be that I became very picky on who I befriend since I don't want to be friends with some random people just to be friends.
Please help if you have any helpful tipps on how I can make find and connect with people who are similar to myself.
TLDR; How can I stop making myself think that I am weird if I approach a group of people already engaged in a conversation? And how to join in on a conversation if I don't/barely know anyone?