How can I become a social butterfly this year?

[G]

Stage one: get into your social chrysalis (only joking).
Elbert Hubbard said, to have friends you must first be one. I would suggest that the best way to be a friend is to 1) care first about others, 2) take time to get to know the people around you, 3) listen more than talk, everyone loves to be listened to, 4) steer the conversations round to their interests and learn about the person. Do that for a couple of weeks and, if you've done it well, there will be lots of people who want to be your friend.
Otherwise, eat many social leaves & do the chrysalis thing...