What’s up guys I’m 19 on college break right now trying to work on my aa before I go back to school. A little backstory, I live in a small town with~25000 people, don’t have any close friends but a lot of aquaintances from work/high school, and their aren’t any social groups around here for sports or dance or whatever.

Anyways I’ve been approaching at places around town in a friendly manner trying to build a social circle (not even displaying intent, I’ll wait till I get back to college for that), but everyone I talk to seems to know someone else I know and I’m afraid that I’m building a bad reputation for myself as a lonely loser who talks to random people at the gym/stores etc.

There are no programs to meet friends with plausible deniability and a common interest so cold approach is my only option, and I feel good about getting over my approach anxiety, but I’m left with this terrible feeling that I’m creating a reputation, especially since all of my approaches start walking away from me 10 seconds into the conversation and displaying uncomfortable body language. Any advice for me to build a social circle in this dismal situation?

PS I cannot move I live with my parents and have crazy debt.