Jeans,
I am new today, too. I get the drinking-to-be-social thing. Some of this drinking you're doing is alone, too. How do you feel when you drink alone? Or do you make calls and email during that time? I think we often put too much pressure on our social performance...its okay to be quiet, its okay to be shy, its okay to take some time to get comfortable with others...keep telling yourself that being shy or quiet is okay. It isn't a problem to be fixed by drinking, its just a character trait. Quiet people can be great listeners and are often thought of as mysterious and thoughtful. People probably find you interesting just as you are, sober.