I mean, there’s no cheat code to meeting people. It requires you to put yourself out there, and what better way to put yourself out there than to publicly enjoy things you enjoy?

Do things you’re interested in, self express (have fun with clothes, pins, patches, whatever, they make a good conversation starter), notice other people self expressing. As far as approaching people goes, it’s always safe to quickly compliment something somebody obviously put effort into, and then from there you can gauge whether they’re interested in more of a conversation.

An example being if somebody has clearly crocheted their bag or something, you could say something like “that is a great bag, did you make it?/where did you get it?” Big rule when complimenting is ALWAYS be ready to let a conversation end where it starts. You’re just throwing a ball into their court to see if they engage further than a “thank you!” You’re just throwing out a line to see who bites, because nobody owes you their attention, but somebody who wants to give it may make it clear if you open the floor.

Opening yourself up to rejection is difficult and scary, but also just a necessary part of making connections.