Been lurking here but never really post. Many thanks to the people/content here for teaching me to even get to this point. Here's what happened.

Lifting at the gym. Really cute girl working there seems grim/bored out of her mind. I've noticed her working here since last year. Decide to cold approach her cause I think she's genuinely cute. Ask her about the baseball game/NBA draft just stuff like that. It was my first time. I'm not much of a looker, 6 // 10 at most. I'm not overweight or stick skinny. I'm not huge or super cut either, but I go there 4x per week and constantly improving so its a very familiar setting for me. Here are things I learned.

• Looks matter. The better facial features/physical features you have, the easier it is to approach girls. They are more comfortable if you're handsome. Common sense. If you're not that good looking or average like me, you better have some other talent to make up for it.
• Confidence matters. You can't go up to a girl and start stuttering or tripping over your own words or not smile at all. Chest out back straight maintain frame. Make eye contact and hold it Smile or flash a grin.
• Know what to say. Saw a post on here days ago about holding a conversation that stems internally instead of externally. Conversation needs to flow naturally even if its awkward at first because she already knows you're cold approaching her. Once you get the ball rolling its easier to acclimate. I asked her about the baseball game cause she was staring at the tv for the past 10 minutes. At the end of the convo I touched it up with "You just seem bored that's all." She then opened up about how she was stuck on a 3 hour shift cause the person who was supposed to take it never showed up. Asked her name, told her mine, shook her hand and told her to hang in there.
• Be tenacious but know when to quit. When I asked her the first question about baseball it was super awkward. Just got off the stairmaster and my words weren't very articulate so she didn't know what I was talking about. I followed that up with another question and closed the physical space between us because her body was walking away but her face was still turned towards me wondering if I had anymore questions. Got her to talk to me for 2 more minutes just by being tenacious. When I was gonna cut it off short and just say bye cause I was embarrassed as fck, she was the one that continued the conversation even though I was the one backing away.
• Last but not least- no regrets. I just got out of a 3year LTR which ended a couple months ago. Typical AWALT stuff. Typical me being blue pill. I'm going through a shitstorm of depression and academic decisions. I had nothing to lose tonight and I don't regret a single thing because all I gained was experience. So if you're reading this, go out and meet some people.

TL;DR: Physical looks matter, confidence, carry conversation, be tenacious but know when to quit, nothing to lose mentality.