The Introverted Turtle

I hate being introverted!?
it sucks. Sure there might be some upsides to it, but the way life is going for me there are more downsides than upsides. I'm in college and I just can't relax and socialize around people at parties, I never have anything to say, it just feels forced and awkward spouting bullshit for the sake of talking. I just want to be like other people and not come off as some anti-social loner.
Sometimes i wish i was more outgoing in social situation, you know the kind of person that can smooze with anybody and get along no matter the occasion. I'm fine if have a close friend around to helpe ease me into the conversation, but i'm like a turtle in its shell when i'm alone. Easy solution to that? Drink a few beers, smoke few joints or bongs of hash or weed, blotting around LSD paper and i'm good to go! But that's not very practical is it? I can't go around drinking and smoking pot all day (Err! Well i could , but then i'd be what most people call a good-for-nothing-why-don't-you-get-a-job-stop-boozing-it-up-all-the-time BUM! )
I come off as such a Asshole because, i don't really talk when i first meet someone and then they think i hate them. Honestly. I don't think ONE real friendship has begun without someone saying "I thought you hated me at first."
If someone doesn't say something to me first then i wont feel comfortable enoungh to talk, which sucks, cause then they think i'm a shut in that hates talking to people XD.
I'm just way to shy to initiate converstations many times, so when i'm around people they jump to the conclusion that i'm a 'SNOT'. And not to forget that sometimes people judge me for the way i look? That makes matters even more worse. Seriously snucks... I mean Sucks! I think I hate myself I've started to buy into what everyone was saying "why are you so quiet" blah blah that I really don't like myself anymore and that of course makes me unhappy. I just can't value introversion no matter what I just want to be work harder and harder to be liked and respected and admired by others. I realize I'm probably looking for acceptence externally to substitute for the lack of acceptence i have for myself, but I don't know what else to do but to work harder for other people to like me and not be so introverted, but I'm just not extroverted.
I've dying inside little by little nowhere to go, i'm outta my mind, this is an endless circle and i'm running from myself, there is no reason for standing still.
I'm just broken and i'm faded, i'm half the man that i thought i would be.
How does an introvert cope with all of this? how do I be more extroverted?