I'm genuinely curious—how do people make new friends

I've been somewhat of a loner since childhood, never quite feeling I fit in or excelled at anything. I've struggled with depressive tendencies from a young age, which has made it challenging to feel a sense of belonging.

As I encounter new environments, I've noticed a tendency to mask my true self to connect with others, which ironically leaves me feeling even more isolated.

So, I'm sincerely asking: How do people make friends, whether online or in real life? Thank you.

Just be your self, try reply something that you like on twitter or insta (iduno) and see if someone is interesting on

I have a difficult time meeting people, but having interests and at that things to do is a great help. I grew up being interested in internet stuff so many people I've related to personally I have met online. In fact, most people I've been able to relate to just purely in numbers have been through an internet connection.

If I go to a community center for some reason for example, that can be a way to meet people. I might like dungeons and dragons--I don't, but that's something that if I want to do it for the sake of it, which I guess part of the whole thing is not just having an affinity for board games in itself--it has to do with being social... If you have things you want to do where others can be involved, people often form connections to another individual or group of people that way.

In the last year or so I'm really enjoying taking part in a hobby like this, and before this I never really had ways to just up and go socialize, but I'm frequenting establishments where this hobby is and I'm meeting people and I'm becoming a regular at these places it seems.

I have more interests outside of that too. For me socializing in itself isn't something I've found a direct path along in aging and growing as a person. I sort of formed who I am in character online, and I'm only now starting to really get interests in things to do outside of forming a basis for a career where that took all of my energy prior to recently. I have lots of interests and enjoy activities already, so I plan on doing more socializing this way and I'm looking forward to it