autistics in highschool tap in!!

i'm a freshman, and i need some advice on how to not just be silent the whole year. because otherwise, that's all i'll do, and i'll make no friends! :-) and that's not what i want to do. so to autistics that aren't freshmen and have friends, please give advice! any! just, like, instigating a conversation? how? what then? it's all just so confusing and i could really use advice!