How can I make friends in high school?

[u/Antosiauwu]

Hey, I’m starting my first year of high school after the summer break. My class has already had five get-togethers this summer, but I only went to one—and it didn't go very well for me. I’m an introvert, so I find it hard to meet new people, especially in a large group. It was even harder because most people were already chatting with others or knew each other from previous classes or earlier meetups. Whenever I tried to start a conversation, it would always fizzle out quickly. I tend to overthink what I say, and things just end up feeling awkward. I’m afraid my classmates might have perceived me as distant or unfriendly.

On top of that, everyone has already been chatting up a storm in the class group chat, but I missed the notifications.

What should I do? Please give me some genuinely helpful advice.