I'm also a college student. Going to a state school in Colorado, of about 25,000 students. I have found that campus locations, like food courts and shops are great, and of course there are house parties.
The classic, 'How's that book? Great, well this one is junk tell me about yours' is good for a public area, but I find that the best is almost always the simple 'Hi how are you.'
Every day I goto the food court area that we have, or the one of our courtyards which are typically very busy with one or two people at each table and simply ask, 'Is anyone sitting here?'. Sit down as if you were to do your homework, and just ask them how they are doing today. Many times, even if they are busy doing work or reading the paper, they will stop what they are doing and have a short conversation with you. This i have found is the Most effective way to get rid of amature approach anxiety. (AAA

) Once you are able to really sit down anywhere.. coffee shops .. etc. Then you are going to have a much greater ability to approach women in more social situations.
When you have some small conversations do the following,
1. Keep a journal and what you said, and if you used any, what routines you used. Since it is always a laid back conversation, she typically will not see you as trying to pick her up, so you can practice routines and opinion openers to get comfortable with them for later field work.
2. Make genuine eye contact (not creepy, but a good glance and note their eye color). This is also noted in Styles 'Rules of the Game' however, i've been doing it for years, was taught it as a kid, and people tend to open up and communicate with you much more openly with good eye connections.
3. Do it with guys and girls. I think this is very important. It not only keeps you keen on what topics are better for women then for men, but also all around confidence is more effective than just simply confidence with women.
Now you'll probably find trends and routines that formulate into better conversations. Use these as your backbone to build with.
One of my personal favorites, that has actually happened to a friend of mine.
*sitting at a table chatting, set already opened.*
***Quick note, I find that single and double sets are workable, larger sets tend to be a bit territorial***
the script.. is delievered more naturally than I will put it here, find the way it works best for you, since i'm in a hurry in this post I'll make it choppy.
Me: ' I was talking to a girlfriend of mine yesterday and she told me the craziest story about how she got cheated on.'
Her: *either replies or waits for an answer, her response is a good indicater of her interest and how well you introduced the story
Me: Well, first off, I take it you don't agree with cheating right? I mean... if you're in a relationship, you should be in it for a reason, *if she comments here, let her talk, then cut her off with, 'well anyway, she gets home from class and stops by her boyfriends...only to find him cheating on her.. with HER Brother.' .. now what do you think she should do with that?
This has ALWAYS gotten quite the response and girls love it..because its .. out of the ordinary and is worth a good laugh.
College is great because you ALWAYS have something in common.. school! Just talk about classes etc.. i'm sure you know what to do.
Hopefully this will help to get rid of that Pesky AAA.
back to the Gym
The Gym is hard.. I personally work at one and girls tend to really get into what they are doing and zone out. Simple negs when they lift weights..."need help with that'' or "Woa, you're a heavy lifter" gets it open, but you have to really follow up with a good quick convo before you go back to lift a set or it becomes a little awkward. Also simply being by a girl and lifting and saying how are you really works and I've number closed a few times on girls I've met in the gym just having a quick few second conversation each time we ran into eachother. When the conversations are this short however, you gotta be cheeky and funny.
House Parties
College kids.. oh we love to get Drunk.. and that makes it so easy to open. The Hi How are you's though.. do NOT use them at parties. everyguy tries this, and unless you're already very good looking, you have to really work a girl with a how are you intro. Opinion openers and funny routines work GREAT at parties. Social status and frame are easy to manipulate, and simple games like a thumb war, questions or Style's "get these 5 questions wrong' game. work really well. At parties girls want to Laugh, and Kino will come very easily. Just watch out for kino too quickly and being seen as 'that kreepy sketchball'. Just be natural, have your cup by your side and make sure to put in that time constraint
If you have any more questions man, just PM me sometime.
Hope it helped mildly... take care
~Simon