Girl at university was friendly to me

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Her name is Diana. She noticed how remote I am and tried to do small talk with me. We don't want to date each other, the idea is to just be friends.
Sadly, every time she spoke to me I felt very uneasy and didn't know what to say, because I don't know her well and I suck at small talk. I did all I could, but I think she dislikes me now. It's one of the many friendship opportunities that I missed because I was born with a stupid brain malformation that turns me into a socially inept weirdo whom everyone rejects.
What a miserable existence.

C'mon, Cockroach. Just smile at the girl.

Talk about the weather--whatever.

Small talk is not bullcrap. It's the way people break the ice with each other.

I don't find small talk to be phony--I'm not good at it--but I see its usefulness.

I didn't say anything bad about small talk, but I find it hard to smile. Even when I do, my smile is fake and it makes my speech even weirder than it already is. Also, my laugh sounds like a donkey. When I try to socialize, I simply end up annoying people and making them hate me.

You don't have to smile. You shouldn't frown, though.

Maybe mention one of your special interests? Don't go on and on about it--just mention it.

See if she bites.

Not many people are into languages. She is good at math and seems to like it. If I ask her what languages she studied in school, she will say French/German/whatever, then I will go on and on about French. I'd rather avoid discussing my interests because I might just let go of myself and give her a long speech about verb conjugations.

It sounds like you had an okay conversation.

I hope you see her again soon.

Ask her if she's interested in linguistics or grammar. If she is, she wouldn't mind it at all if you talk about verb conjugations.

Our conversations were very awkward actually. She asked me things like if I have a pet or I've taken part in volunteering activities and I gave monosyllabic answers. I hate being so socially awkward.

I've had a very similar experience, actually! (just not at a University)

When I felt bad about how I acted afterwards, what I wished I'd changed was I regretted not smiling and talking enthusiastically because that's what makes people feel relaxed, at ease, confident around you: I know that's what I like when others are happy and friendly!

and I'd say the best thing to do is smile (even if this sounds silly)

Everyone looks better with a smile! Unless you have no teeth

I agree, smiling at people and making eye contact with them does make them feel at ease, and shows some interest in them. Most girls will smile back at you if you smile at them first. The ones that don't might just be having a bad day, or just have a bad personality and you wouldn't want to waste time with them. I also agree, though, that this can be a very hard thing to do. It was for me for a long time. The best way to feel better about it is to improve your self confidence, so you feel that people might be interested in you. Again, that is something else that is easier said than done.

She just texted me on Facebook, so she still wants to be friends.
I just hope she's not romantically into me, because that would make things even more awkward. I only want to be friends with her, and if she wants more, she might break the friendship to avoid getting stuck in the infamous friendzone.

Every been to Vlad Dracul's castle?

No.
Don't derail the thread.

Sounds like a good start Cockroach. I do mean that, not just trying to make you feel better. I am awkward too and, while i have been married for years to a guy who loves me very much, i still feel like i spend far too much time annoying him. I don't even realize i do it til he gives me the look. It is just me. I am a bit self-conscious of it, and i do work on trying to find ways to not annoy people...but it still happens. I work with a behavioral therapist for myself and my son's autism, and once when i was describing how i beat myself up over something i feel is a social blunder, she expressed surprise at the time and energy that my brain expends being anxious over an encounter that is already said, done, in the past, and probably ok if not absolutely fine.

As aspies we do this. It is hard to accept the fact that i am awkward, but somehow, when i do, i become less awkward because i can sort of chuckle at myself, tell the person, "ok, let's start over" (and hope i speak or act less awkwardly the 2nd time around) and try my best to move on. The hardest part is not obsessing over it later. I am still working on that.

All that to say it is ok if you are sometimes awkward. If possible, don't hate yourself for it. If you didn't have your aspie awkwardness, you wouldn't have the gifts in your special interests. The good women are not so shallow that we can't see the person behind the awkwardness. Be the person who is worth knowing. (And if she can't see a worthwhile person behind your awkwardness, then maybe your time would be better spent getting to know someone who can.)

Just my 2 cents if you wanted it.

She said I can say anything to her, but I'm afraid I might annoy her. I obsess over what to say and how to act and this is distracting me from my studies. On the other hand, having a friend is beneficial for one's health and may help motivate me. I don't know what to do.

I would stick with it. I often take time to warm up to people--i think that is a common aspie thing. But as i get more comfortable, the interactions get less awkward. I would take her statement at face value--that you can talk to her. Don't hold forth for 45 minutes on a topic you know to be boring to her, of course...but take her at her word that you can talk to her. If i had not stuck out the awkward part, some of my dear friends would not be my friends.

Can you give yourself a set amount of time to plan an interaction, then get back to studying? I often rehearse expected conversations in my head beforehand, giving myself a few different response possibilities. It helps me to know what to say later. My suggestion would be to set your watch or a timer, then when time is up, go back to studying.