Before I begin this, I would like to give you some background information in order to identify my dilemma. Also, this is NOT a plea for sympathy! I'm only asking for advice. TL;DR version at bottom.
In elementary school, I wasn't very socially active. I didn't necessarily stay to myself, but I just didn't have anyone I would call a "best friend". I went to birthday parties every now and then and still had "school friends",but not as many as would probably be considered "normal". I do not blame this on my minor case of ADHD, or my new abusive stepdad (he was in the Marine Corps, and his mom was an alcoholic). Although this did make me a quiet person that was kinda unconfident and submissive. Around 3rd grade, I was introduced to the world of gaming through Runescape, which had taken almost all my attention by 4th grade. Starting 5th grade, I became a victim of my own design. I was bullied by a couple people I had considered friends. However, instead of fighting back and not letting them get to me, I created myself a little victim complex. I let this define me and I became a self-labeled outcast. I let it get so bad to the point where I had to switch classes. In my elementary school, we all had a homeroom that we just traveled with from class to class. I stopped talking to the people in my old class because we did not see each other anymore. I became friends with more "alternative" people.
Middle school. I was hyperactive in elementary school, but I just thought that was lack of practicing self control. My confidence was lower than ever, as I had all these negative thoughts about myself. I was chubby, but not really overweight. I didn't really care about my appearance, and as a result, didn't keep it up very well. I had thick, greasy, uncombed hair. I didn't specialize my appearance at all. I would just wear the standard uniform shirt with the standard polo and some baggy black slacks or some shorts. I wasn't necessarily shy, just unapproachable really. I was also kind of aloof, and fell asleep in class. Really just a mess. I was friends with the "nerds".
In 7th grade, I was diagnosed with ADHD finally. I was put on Vyvanse, which I still take to this day. From that point, my life took a turn for the better. The medicine made me much more focused. My grades skyrocketed, from C's and low B's to A's and like one B. I aced all of my tests, and I could easily grasp new concepts. I began specializing my appearance and finding out who I really was. I lost weight and started talking to more people.
In 8th grade, I became more social. I matured a lot and started meeting more mature people. I became friends with people who shared my interests, but none of them were more than "school friends". I tried to fit in with some people who I didn't really "belong" with at times, just kind of having an identity crCIA, and I kind of became depressed again. I was still pretty unconfident through all this.
High school rolls around. I still didn't know who to really hang out with. I was friends with plenty of people, but none of them, again, were much more than "school friends". I did, however, start becoming good friends with some the people from elementary school that I rode the bus with. I began walking home with them and we played Xbox and stuff. We also had some classes together. I was also on the swim team, which drastically changed my situation. I developed many social skills, conversation skills, etc., but I still couldn't really make good friends. I just couldn't really continue to connect with people. I had spent too much time in gaming to where that had become almost all of my interests, besides swimming, paintball, and guitar. I didn't really watch TV shows or anything because I could never keep up. Even though I was getting better, I just didn't really feel like I could connect with people. I didn't develop many interests early on, so I didn't know what to do. Plus I had family complications that made things weird. Neither of my parents had many people over.
I never really learned how to be more social with people because I had been content with the one or two really good friends I had, both of which went to different schools. I could never be very personal with people. I still was trying to find other interests.
So, TL;DR, I just need advice. I know this is a process, and I've already come pretty far I think. How do you guys turn school friends into good friends? The problem is not so much that I like the social skills or the confidence, but just lack of experience.
