It's never too late to go back and strengthen some already existent ties between you and your acquaintances. Who knows? You may just as well become really close to someone you never expected.
Perhaps an acquaintance you never got to know too well is actually a perfect match for you. You never know until you put yourself out there. You could try meeting new people in your classes, and make yourself open and available to others.
I'm sure you will find new close friends soon, because a similar situation happened to me.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.