Comment by orwin

Just go out and talk to random people. Or if you're very shy, participate in a club of something you're interested in. When I was younger I found myself in a 'squat' with people I didn't know at first (very rural, with tents, stone abandoned homes), it cured my of my fear of ridicule (that and being a youth camp counsellor). Since we found ourselves there for the same reason, it was for the first time very easy for me to find common ground, and I think that helped a lot.