It’s halfway through the semester and you still haven’t made new friends. It’s not that you aren’t awesome and everyone else is too caught up in themselves to recognize that, but it’s likely that you are presenting yourself in an unfriendly manner.
You look like you hate life.
No one wants to hear a professor drone on at 9:00 am but having a blank face expression won’t get you anywhere. You don’t have to keep a smile on your face because that would be creepy. Simply having a neutral and alert expression makes you approachable. Make eye contact with and smile at others, especially if they smiled at you first.
You sit on your phone in class.
I get that cell phones serve as a distraction but it also keeps you from being in the here and now. Instead, look over your notes. Someone might ask you questions about what’s being covered and that can lead to forming a study group.
When people do talk to you, you respond in one word.
Even if someone wants to get to know you, this will make it difficult and they will give up. If you have a hard time making conversation, challenge yourself to say a little bit more every time. Always ask people questions.
You always have your headphones in your ears.
This is a given. Headphones are a do not disturb sign. If you’re extremely attached, I would suggest keeping one bud in.
You keep compliments to yourself.
I constantly come across people I want to compliment but rarely speak up. When you compliment someone, they will feel more open and you can ask them where they got that awesome shirt.