@ionable,
I, also a late bloomer, went to a small high school for girls that was a couple of bus rides away from home; let's say there was a dearth of interest in my high school years, though I got to be pals with some guys who worked at the hospital I worked at, after school let out.
In beginning university, I was pretty busy all the livelongday and if not busy, riding a bus again. I did get asked out by a fraternity guy, not a bad sort, for a New Years date. It was fun, no love lost but a new experience. I argued with him about football, which was probably unusual for him and his friends in the 60's. Guys did talk with me though, as this was long ago and there were few girls (the word back then) in my science classes. For example, a guy I studied with in the med library asked me to his wedding and I gladly went. Actually that happened twice, with another couple that found each other.
Time went by and a guy in my chem class walked with me towards the student union and slowed down and asked me if I would like to go to a concert. My contact lens (these were early days contact lenses) zoomed toward my nose and I had to stop and dig it out and put it back in again. I said something like pardon me, uhh, uh, yes, and we went into the student union to talk. First love of my life, wonderful man. I married another fellow later, but this first experience was a treasure. I was 21.
Re all this I just said, talk with people. I talked with that guy across from me in chem class, and I talked with people where I worked. I never was much of a flirt, but I'm interested in people. I tend not to batter with question after question either. Let people talk. Don't be all about being 21 and never asked out. Self worrying can get in your way.