I went through periods of being popular, social pariah, popular, social pariah, ...

It not only depends on you but the mix of kids as well as their ages.

I physically developed very early. The girls in the 6th grade made my life hell because of this "audacity". None of the boys or girls talked to me (30 student class) for an entire year. Anyone who tried started getting the same "treatment".

If you are the awkward person in the class it is vitally important that you identify the other awkward students and try to befriend them. Even if they make you uncomfortable at first for some unknown reason.

All my popular periods were from when I had gathered 5+ awkward kids (once as high as 20 at once) and we all had lunch and fun together on a regular basis.

Use your extra sensory capabilities to learn things about people and what interest them. Use that information to try to find common ground to befriend them with.

One girl I befriended because it was her first day at a new school in this country, she spoke no English, and she had to leave her parents and siblings back in her home country (Burma). I just made sure I was there for her through her tears and helped her navigate the school a little that first day. We stayed close friends for over a decade. After college we have grown apart, but we also live far away from each other.

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None of my friends in K-12 really threw parties. I threw all the parties. Years later my friends have all told me how much they appreciated my board game parties.

I find that board games are really a fairly safe way to socialize without activating my SPD too much. Especially when the party is in my own home, SPD is much less of a factor.

You don't have to throw elaborate parties. You just need excuses for the kids to get together.