Questions about Joining the FFXIV Community

My Question:
What do you suggest I do to "make friends" on my server?
How should I go about finding an FC that is new-player friendly?

Background:
I started a couple months before the expansion. In that couple months I added a few people to my friends list and joined/dropped a couple FC's, looking for people to play with. Thus far I have been unsucessful. This is, in part, my own fault. I am afraid to offer/request help because there has been so much negativity when I tell people I am a new player.

Every now and then I will get in a group of all or mostly new people, and it has been a blast! Running a dungeon/trial with a whole group of new people is by far my favorite thing about FFXIV. Learning the fights, exploring the space, and working through things is what I want to play for. Unfortunately, the random people I group with are rarely on my server, and I can not group with them again.

I would suggest to look or post in your world's forum http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/forums/833-Lamia that's how I found my current FC, and I am absolutely happy there.

My advice would be to:

1. Go to major hubs and just chat with other players.
2. Join a Linkshell that is formed by players that share a similiar interest in certain things. I made alot of friends in my current linkshell that is formed for ANIME/MANGA lovers by ANIME/MANGA lovers. It gets easier to talk with others when you have something in common.
3. Be active! Alot of the players who are looking for friends are waiting for others to come to them, this will never work online! If you see a funny conversation or something that you like, join them.
4. It takes time to find the perfect FC for you and friendships are relationships, you will spend alot of time building them and making sure they dont break.

This is what I did. I joined the server Ragnarok a year ago and I was looking for friends. So I went to Limsa and started talking with others. I told them about myself and learned alot, about others. Some players tried to troll, but I laughed with them and in time they started to join in the conversation. At the end of the day, I logged off with a invite to a FC (which I am still in) and a message from a player who made a ANIME/MANGA theme linkshell and he asked me if I was interested, because I told the players that I love watching Fairy Tail and Code Geass.

Seems geeky and lame, but it worked. Like real life, sometimes you need to just open up and dive into the pool of people. Some of them will troll and insult you, but if you are presistent, you will come out of the ocean with new friends. :)

I honestly went a long time without even joining a FC. Eventually in the open world fate grinding, I found some very nice people who helped me. Joined their little FC, and they pushed me through to end-game despite being a scrub. I've been with them for well over a year and a bit now, and log in to this day because of them.

I've had people in the DF who are very nice as well, but same problem as you, on different servers. Just play the game, and if you find nice people who you think you'd like to be around, don't let the chance fly-by. Check if they have any Linkshells they are in, see if their FC is looking for new members, they're usually more than willing to have anyone so long as you get along.

Most of the times you really connect with people is in a party, don't be afraid to say "Hello there!" when you first join a party, comment on things people do, sometimes you will surprise people that you noticed. At the ends of fights I always tell people "Good job all" people are usually afraid to break the silence, and are more willing to talk if someone else does first, especially if the tone is positive, there will always be people who don't talk, it's their choice, but the ones who you kick it off with in a party might be the people you're looking for.

TL;DR: Put yourself out there, be conversational and positive where you can, people are always looking for positivity.