Where do you actually meet other young people?

I'm a 23yo guy and I've been clueless for years about where on earth I'm actually supposed to meet people.

For example I like to draw so people online suggest a drawing group…. ok.

I go to meetup set a 15mile radius and there are two. I check the pics and the events are basically a bunch of elderly.

Fine, maybe I can find a class. Oh look a museum! They offer a day for 100$, I look at the past events. Again all old people.

I don't get it I'm not in a city but the nearest one plus the neighboring towns has to at least be like 250k people. There are serious no people in the 18-25 age range with a similar interest?

I'm willing to try other stuff but as I scour through meetups there are some people my age who sign up but the actually events are all old people.

Yet any time I go out I see cute cashiers and other workers I'd want to talk to but it's inappropriate. Go to a nearby campus and there are tons of girls my age.

Like they're clearly around, a lot of them but like 99.999% are only available if you already have some connection, are still in college, or work a service job.

I want to shoot myself every time people suggest clubs as the go to way to meet people, to me they seem like the sure fire way NOT to meet anyone unless you're trying to date like 40yrs up.

Am I missing something because dating apps are flaky and I'm really getting frustrated I just want to meet people authentically and not have to resort to hitting up cashiers. Honestly at this point I'd pay someone like 100$ for each girl they can just get me a 15 minute date with because I'm just so damn confused where I'm supposed to be.