Let. go. of. your. pride. Based on your username, I think you're Korean... from one Korean to another, let go of any pride that you might be clinging on to. Mak

Let. go. of. your. pride. Based on your username, I think you're Korean... from one Korean to another, let go of any pride that you might be clinging on to. Make jokes. Find a kickass Korean BBQ place in your area, and suggest a get-together where you show your new buddies how to order, drink Soju, etc. (NOTE: I've noticed that some Koreans like to brag about their wealth/generosity with money and try to pay for group meals--Do NOT be awkward--Do NOT offer to pay for the group meal! I think I have done this before, and it just made everyone uncomfortable and see me as the one who was trying too hard.) Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world--remember this so that you can realize that your approach to thinking about life might not be normal. As a Korean myself, I don't think Koreans are normal. In my opinion, the suicide rate is highest among the OECD countries because we are, in general: (1) excessively prideful (2) always overthinking everything (3) have a warped perspective on "the grand scheme of things" (4) other things that I won't mention here... you might know what they are--also related to the problem of having excessive pride. You being afraid to interact with people is probably simply this: "I'm much more intelligent than I appear with my English... I sound like an idiot. But I am not an idiot." Of course, I'm only guessing, but if that internal dialog rings true for you, let go of it. Look in the mirror and say, "I'm an idiot! We're all idiots! Every person on this planet is some amount of Idiot, and we're going to spend all of our lives doing our best and trying to improve the lives of people around us. Through that, we'll somehow find happiness. Because everything will work out." Make social mistakes early and often. You will grumble over rejections for days, but you will forget each crazy social mishap within a year. Also, you say that you end up wasting time on the weekends. What types of things do you do on your own? Hiking? Museums? Obtain a new hobby and strive to become above-amateur at it. Volunteer at the animal shelter. Work in hospice care. Attend an open-minded church full of university students. Put your focus on putting other people at easy. Every day, make your goal to make someone smile. Remember: We only get what we give. - Be generous. - Don't be afraid to call yourself an idiot and be able to laugh at yourself good-heartedly about it. (Know that you have immense value as a human being, but don't worry about everyone having to know your exact level of intelligence.) - Be really good at something not work-related. Share that thing with other people. Also, maybe ask your manager for help and suggestions with this. Surely your 1-on-1 meetings aren't all about work? As an intern, you will be naturally be curious about the area and whatnot. Whenever I suffered at the social front in a new city, I asked my past managers for help and they ALWAYS delivered great ideas. If the people aren't in your life yet, build the kind of life that you want to live and the right people will naturally gravitate towards you. As a shy, introverted, ESL person, this mentality is what helped bring me peace and a short list of true life-long friends. Hope this helps. Just remember that awkward moments can sometime cause happy accidents. The best thing to do if something goes wrong is to laugh about it (because you are alive!), learn from it, and move on with a brighter and more open heart. Like a muscle, this practice will strengthen and you'll get more used to just putting yourself out there--broken English and all--come what may.