You remind me of 20 year old me. Focus on getting out of that shell first 
, actually that's not the right advice. Forcing yourself out of that shell is pretty hard. Peek out of the shell at first, then stick your head out, then leave for a second then dive back into the shell. Find a friend who's willing to drag you to a stressful situation. In my case it was black metal concerts. It was terrifying, but I survived, and that fact alone made me realize there was less to be terrified about.
As for dating: you'll realize that everybody's actually really awkward, which means you don't have to feel awkward, about your awkwardness. You're going to do/say silly stuff just because you have no background knowledge of dating, we all do, it's okay.
Don't be somebody you aren't. Realize you'll have needs with a relationship once one get started, don't just be a giver. Learn to confront issues, don't be passive-aggressive (if you have a history of that). Don't date somebody because they share the most interests with you, date somebody because they make you happy (oh dear, now I sound like a hallmark card). Interests help, but it's not a be-all end-all.
, actually that's not the right advice. Forcing yourself out of that shell is pretty hard. Peek out of the shell at first, then stick your head out, then leave for a second then dive back into the shell. Find a friend who's willing to drag you to a stressful situation. In my case it was black metal concerts. It was terrifying, but I survived, and that fact alone made me realize there was less to be terrified about. As for dating: you'll realize that everybody's actually really awkward, which means you don't have to feel awkward, about your awkwardness. You're going to do/say silly stuff just because you have no background knowledge of dating, we all do, it's okay
. Don't be somebody you aren't. Realize you'll have needs with a relationship once one get started, don't just be a giver. Learn to confront issues, don't be passive-aggressive (if you have a history of that). Don't date somebody because they share the most interests with you, date somebody because they make you happy (oh dear, now I sound like a hallmark card). Interests help, but it's not a be-all end-all.
