dude pat that sucks....I'm with Erin on gettin the dog thing (if you're not a dog person you could get a cat...but they don't attract girls like puppies do). Cute guys having a puppy does AMAZING things....keeps the guy busy and while you're out walking, you're bound to run into a cute girl that will think your puppy is cute making you automatically attractive.....don't worry girls...this works for us too (well picking up guys not girls). Other than that why don't you look for a new job...or tell you're higher higher up that the people you work with are complete boneheads that don't do any work and if you don't get a raise or a transfer else where, that you're going to quit. Might work...it did for me. And as for the going out thing...you seem like a fairly outgoing guy. I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit. Make some new friends in your classes and hang out with them. It won't kill ya. And you might meet a chick that way too
Good luck!