Social situations depress me. I'm 23, I was raised homeschooled.

>>18665766

How did you get a girlfriend?

>>18665766
>I'm in college and I try to force myself to be social, but I don't seem to be improving

Keep doing this, you're onto a good start. You need time and practice. If your teen years lacked social interraction it will be harder for you, because teenage years are some of the most important developmental years. However, social skills are just like any skill: practice, regualar use and a variety of situations will eventually help you improve. Keep pushing yourself. Put yourself in situations outside your comfortzone. The more you do, the easier it gets. The more difficult social situations your put yourself into, the easier the regular interactions become. But don't be too hard on yourself, not everyone is a social master or a natural extrovert and nor do you have to be. Just consciously develop your skills and eventually you'll notice an improvement, but if you keep yourself to an impossible standard, you'll just end up disappointed and frustrated.

>>18665772
This. Enlighten us.

>>18665772
We started talking online and eventually met up.

>>18665895
And where online did you meet, you idiotic mf? Be more specific. You know we want details.

>>18665902
Yikyak

>>18665902
holy shit, have you never talked to a fucking girl before mate

>>18665766
The hidden curse of homeschooling is that you don't get to learn socialization skills through trial and error at the same time everyone else is stumbling about.

But they ARE skills, not talents, and you're just behind the curve in learning them. You CAN learn them if you are willing to go through the same awkward stumbling about that your contemporaries did at 13.

Force yourself to meet people. Force yourself to go where they are (dances, parties, clubs, sports events) Force yourself to say Hello to people.

Yes, you'll be self-conscious, and yes, you'll misfire. But you WILL get better with practice.

You could begin by letting your gf introduce you to her social circle. With her at your side, and with them already feeling friendly to her, integration into the group might be smoother