How to be independant?

Friends at high school.
I am currently in Year 12 and friendships has not been my strongest.
I want to eat in the canteen. But isn't it weird?
I have one friend in school. When she goes home early (leaving me by myself at break or lunch). I have to be alone. Or if I want to eat, with a toxic ex-friend.
(she doesn't treat me right either).
I need some advice on how to be an independent person and not be dependant on others

From your text post it seems like you're an introvert, who shy, and find it hard to voice their opinion.

I'm in my early 20s now I was like this till I was in year 10. I had to push myself out of my comfort zone, it was hard but I was glad I did it. I had to stop relying on others, at one point I had to get other people to stick up for me instead of me sticking up for me, I forced myself to interact with other people I knew but sort of didn't know.

The people I forced myself to interact with were the kids that was loud mouth and always causing trouble in class, I was scared and intimidated by them, but by forcing myself out of my comfort zone by speaking to them, they were quite the opposite, the were actually nice, polite, and became good friends with them, they always got me to join in.

Just take small baby steps, for instance, is there anyone else you talk to occasionally? If so try talking to them more regularly, I'm sorry but I personally think this friend is using you as it seems like you don't have any other friends at school.

Don’t have the mindset of always eating with others! I regularly get my lunch and go and eat in the library and watch some Netflix on my iPad or something. Look confident when you’re alone, and make it look like you know what you’re doing! College friendships are really toxic and I’m in year 12 too, and I’ve only got a few friends but I just make my own way around, like going off campus in breaks and things, or talking to new people from different subjects (if I can be bothered) but just be confident in yourself x

Friends at high school.
I am currently in Year 12 and friendships has not been my strongest.
I want to eat in the canteen. But isn't it weird?
I have one friend in school. When she goes home early (leaving me by myself at break or lunch). I have to be alone. Or if I want to eat, with a toxic ex-friend.
(she doesn't treat me right either).
I need some advice on how to be an independent person and not be dependant on others

Hey stranger, long time no speak... hope you are well. Wow doing 4 A levels, Clever girl

Anyways, onto your latest problem... Student200121 nails it when you say you've got to force yourself out of your comfort zone and force yourself to talk to others. I may have mentioned this to you before, but why don't you create an alter ego for yourself? I mean a different character you can go into when you want to do things that are strange / scary to you? So you say you're an introvert... well so was the singer Prince; although you'd never guess that from his stage performances etc. Other artists who go into different modes when they're performing included Eminem and Beyoncé, whose stage personas were nothing like their "home" personalities. You don't need to be a world-famous pop star to utilise that logic.

If you're self-conscious about eating alone in the canteen, could you not have lunch in the town centre or go for a walk or something? The exercise and change of environment would do you good, and you'd probably be more refreshed for the afternoon lessons. Not everyone who goes about on their own is a "billy no-mates", it helps if you think of yourself like a lone wolf (rather than a scaredy cat).

As for talking to the others in your class, maybe talk to them about the class itself to start with (e.g. comment about an "interesting" teacher or pretend to need help with something)... and later on, just ask how their weekend was and build it up from there. I understand it's probably scary at first, but eventually it becomes easier and eventually second nature. Before you know it, they'll be telling you to shut up