I'm 17 and I have no close friends.

Ever since I have been at school I can remember coming home and feeling bored since I had nobody to talk with about what interested me, what school was like on the day or to just simply talk with someone. I'm currently 17 years old and I feel lonely since I have no close friends and I have never been invited to a parties, functions, gatherings, etc. I am currently interested in computer science and I hope to soon be a computer engineer. I don't play video games nor watch television as I believe it is a waste of time, as I can be doing be more interesting things. I have always felt lonely as I no one has ever been over to my house. I'm currently in Year 11 at school. I have tried to make friends since Year 7 at the same school with no success. I'm wondering what can I do to become close friends with a couple of people in the same year group as me. I have been going to a local youth club for at least a month now, yet I don't feel close to anyone there as I am busy with school work or school commitments so I don't see them that often, only twice a week. I did notice a girl say "I don't talk much and that that's weird". In my mind I said to myself, "Well, I don't go to the school as every else does here so I don't know much about anyone". I live a simple life since I don't have expensive phones nor have worry about my school grades as I am getting A and B without studying since I pay attention during classes and take notes of important information. During school hours I have realised that most of the students my age keep talking about parties and what they got up to on the weekend. As a result I have nothing to talk about with them since I wasn't at their parties or gatherings. During lunch breaks I find it hard to talk with the people in my year, not because I have social anxiety, but because I don't know much about them - and since a majority of people in high school have already established their groups I am finding it is hard to make rapport with people within groups as they have a long history with each other that I am not apart of (friends they [people within a group] know in common who are go to different schools).

I would like to know how to make friends in an effective way with like-minded people my age whether that be at school, at the shopping centre, or the youth club.