Spending birthday alone

So last year I've spend my 18th birthday all alone because my friends wouldn't visit me (we go to different universities) and I didn't know anyone yet in my university so I was alone. My friends said they didn't come because the train tickets were expensive but apparently they've visited another friend TWICE and the tickets were much more expensive than the tickets to visit me. As far as I know this is going to happen again this year as most probably I'll spend my 19th birthday all alone again. I haven't made any real friendships at university because I'm so shy and I am scared of getting rejected by people. I did try to make friends but they didn't last or we just didn't get that close. Anyway I feel so sad about spending my birthday alone. Sometimes I don't feel like celebrating it as I'd rather not be born but you know feeling like someone appreciates you that day is nice. I just know that I'll be miserable on my birthday again and I hate it. Has anyone ever been in this place?