This is not specifically related to girls. I'm not shy at all. I can go and open a girl quite comfortably, and I'm fine talking to random strangers when you've got the small talk routine etc. etc. to go through.

But the problem I have is just that I struggle to get involved in a conversation (even with my best mates) if it's something I don't know a lot about. Like if I'm with the guys we can talk about footy, I'm fine. If I'm with a couple of the girls off my course and we talk about the course I'm on/general uni social events, I'm fine.

But if I find myself in a conversation where I don't really know about it a lot, I tend to end up being the quiet one not saying anything, even if I deliberately go in with the mindset not to be that person. I usually end up sort of "snapping out of it" and becoming aware of myself being the quiet one and then try to change that, but you're already out of the conversation and end up waiting until it moves back to something I'm more confident discussing.

Any tips on how to avoid this?