I(19 f) struggle to make friends due to my location

Friendship and Social Life

Hi! I’m 19 years old and live in a suburban small town in south New Jersey. Most of my life I’ve had a very androgynous personality as I grew up with an absent mother, I am also pretty autistic (diagnosed) so I never fit in socially.

I’m Mexican and a lot of the people in my town are racist Italians or fellow Hispanics that take my autistic traits as “sass”. I was socially ostracized my entire life and it’s rare that I even see someone with dyed hair or anything. Sometimes I do at Wawa.

Anyways I just kind of need advice to making “IRL” friends. Because I’ve noticed whenever I try they’re either too “weird” EX: a guy I became friendly with in my GED class did not shower and was chronically obsessed with Hazbin Hotel and inflation fetish artwork.
Or too “normal”.. EX: a girl I was friends with in high school- I had absolutely nothing in common with and would often go silent with because she thought I was offputting.

I also have mini seizures sometimes so I cannot drive at the moment nor can I get a job.

I don’t know. I’m not acting like I’m better than anyone but it’s virtually impossible sitting down and waiting for someone to talk to me or trying to compliment someone’s pins and nothing happening. I’m way too introverted for me to be optimistic about this. Is there places I can go specifically? Like a bookstore? They’re always empty. I’m saving up for college so that’s not an option right now. Sometimes I sort of wish I lived in Philadelphia.

Posted Jul 29, 2026, 1:01 PM UTC

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