Friends from afar

[Licorice]

For those who are or have finished school, I'm curious about how friendships between two shy or reserved people begin. Clearly someone has to extend the hand of friendship, but who and how? For conversation's sake, do you find it easier to befriend people of this personality?

There are a few students who've been in multiple classes with me over the past few semesters. We've worked in groups before and tend to wave if we pass a lecture and see each other through a window, but we've never actually talked. I don't think one of them has said more than five words in the past three semesters and looks perpetually frightened.

 

[Ereth]

Well, in situations like these, I tend to start by finding out what the other person likes to do in his or her spare time---just as a conversation starter.

I don't think it's necessarily easier or more difficult to make friends with someone based on personality alone, though.

 

[wyverary]

I struggled with this all through college--all my many attempts at college, to be more accurate. The only real friendship I formed was from some girl who happened to approach me in one of the dining halls. Of course, I later learned she was "into me," as they say (I hate that phrase), but we got past that, became friends, and I saw her regularly until I left school. I think maybe instead of just waving or saying "Hi," you could walk up to them and try starting an actual conversation--hard for an aspie, I know! It might work, or it might not. You never know till you try.