How do i become more outgoing?

How do I become more talkative and outgoing?

• I had a bad childhood where I never made any friends and everyone made fun of me all the time. Now, I'm in college and I joined some clubs but people find me as non-talkative and boring person. I wouldn't say I'm shy but I'm quiet because I don't know what to say to people. I don't know how to be a fun outgoing person. I think its my past that has damaged me but I don't want to live feeling like this forever. Especially, because of my past and how its still effecting me I just starting hating my own existence. Everyone I meet at clubs and places are very outgoing and talkative and have made friends from joining. But, I haven't and it just makes me feel like I don't have a normal life. What can I do?

• Answer:

  Watch TV shows like Friends and How I Met Your Mother, to get a general idea of how people talk in conversations (but realize that these are exaggerations, and no one's that witty or anything.) I'm talking a vague idea. Starting a conversation with someone you know could be like "hey ___, how's it going?" Be wary of talking too much. Especially about yourself. People don't like you when you talk too much about yourself. I mean ideally it's a 50/50 thing I think. Ask them question about themselves - how was your weekend, that sort of thing. If you're just meeting them ask them about the club you've just joined (did you do a lot of underwater basket weaving in high school?) It's a process. Don't just talk about yourself. If you do I'll come over there and throw some rotten tomatoes at you. Except I don't know where you are, so you'll have to throw the rotten tomatoes at yourself.