Zero social life only one "friend" any advice?

[Nick]

I'm 20 years old living with my dad and going to Navy bootcamp in 3 months. For about half of 2013 up until now I just sit in my room and play minecraft pocket edition, do facebook, or watch youtube videos. About once a week i go hang out with my 21 year old friend and go play more video games until 6:00 AM and we get bored because he always has to be a winner, we have to play minecraft on peacful because he can't stand a challenge and he always has to disagree about everything. if he's bored and doesn't want to do anything then he makes me sit and stare at the screen too while i could be playing a variety of different games, other than that he is a good friend. can't skateboard because it rains all the freaking time. So i just sit in my room all day every day getting lonelier and lonelier. I don't have anything to do because i don't earn money yet and every girl i know hates me because i'm so desperate for social interaction, i can't help it. Any advice how i can stop being a loser?

[meli]

I went through something similar after I graduated college. Had to move back in with my parents, who had moved while I was in college so I was in a whole new place. It was rough at first, but I stayed in contact with my old friends and I wasn't too far to visit them so I did that a lot. But I wanted friends near me. Then I moved to where I am now, with just my boyfriend not knowing anyone here, and actually placed a "strictly platonic" ad explaining my situation on craigslist (ha!) saying I wanted to meet new friends and got a response from a girl who seemed nice. We met in a coffee shop and she became a good friend. It's a shot in the dark and you obviously have to be careful but if you're shy like me and don't make friends easily without someone to introduce you, you can always try the internet. Hell, I'll talk to you, lol.

[Jake]

I'm in the same boat you are except i don't have any friends. music and weed works for me most of the time. too bad i don't gotta dealer. Sometimes i go out in public and do weird things to see what reaction they give me. guitar is fun. Try going to the mall or something idk im really socially awkward I'm afraid to talk to people. so i live in my brain

[Ann]

Your life, your choices. You reap the rewards you invest in. You invest in isolation so you get loneliness. Get out there, be creative, don't let no money be your crutches to not living. I have gamer friends who make friends through gaming chats.

- Try volunteering: visit seniors, read to kids at library, clean a river on the kayak the city provides, help an ESL teacher - teach folks to learn English as a second language (those folks are extremely grateful and will incorporate you into their family if they like you), habitate for humanities to build houses, soup kitchen, big brother/sister to a little kid
- Get or borrow a dog by offering to walk someone's dog. While walking the dog, I meet other dog walkers and it's so easy to strike up a conversation.
- try meetup.com
- try square dancing. I told my gamer friend to wait for me at this building. I was 1hr late while he sat around watching people have fun square dancing. Eventually, he got drawn into it and had fun.
- Imagine if you could get a life off the shelf at a store, what would your life look like? Be realistic. A billionaire doesn't have many friends, they're never happy with what they have and always wondering if their friends are friends because of their money.

For example, I wanted to go see movies at the theaters and have someone go with me. I found free movie screenings, watch a movie at the theater before it gets release to the public and get free posters. While waiting in line, I talked to folks around me. Now, 4yrs into doing this 1-3 movies per week, several people look forward to seeing me, save seats for me even though I'm in the back of the line. Even my family joins me sometimes. Point is, say hi and strike up a conversation. If you don't know how, youtube or research it.

If you risk nothing, you gain nothing. Doing embarrassing things will get you smiles. But saying hi and talking to strangers without coming off creepy, gets rejection and friends.