Second chances.

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In this situation, it's again, the skating rink. When I first started skating 2 years ago, I made an ass out of myself. I'd like, play happy hardcore during sessions and stuff. Generally I pissed everyone off. I also tried talking to about everyone, asking questions, etc. I got the feeling I was unwelcome and that people didn't like me, but nobody really directly did or said anything to me (except one old guy who's my halfway coach who's got frontal lobe damage and has in general a very dickish blunt way of talking to everyone,) just they never talked to me and I'd get from what I can interpret, not good looks from them. Physically when I started I was fat, too.

Fast forward, it's been 2 years. Now I know the "rules" of sharing music, what's appropriate to play, etc. I've not really tried even talking to anyone my age at the rink like...at all. Most are girls, so there's that. I don't ask questions to them. I don't talk to them at all. I think I may look a bit more arrogant now, too. Or maybe it's confidence. I'm a lot better skater now than 2 years ago, too. A LOT better. I went from 210 to 180, then got more muscular and a bit bigger, but now am at 185 with a lot more muscle. So I look way better. I've found in my personal interactions with people my looks mean a lot. I get better service at stores, people are nicer to me, etc.

I get the feeling now, that these people that more or less rejected me before seem to be more open to talking with me. But like, I've closed myself off to them now, like they've done to me. I mean, I could be dead wrong and my social senses are still just as sh***y as always. But this is the impression I get. Nothing really forces our interactions at this point. I skate publics, they skate freestyle (more expensive but private figure skating sessions.) Soon I'll be switching to freestyles for at least some of sessions, so I'll likely be in contact with them more. It's a really sorta "rich" and preppy crowd, too, and I'm broke (though I wear preppy clothes I buy in thrift stores for pennies in attempt to not stand out.) So that affects things, also. Basically, these would be the same people that wouldn't talk to me in high school, but now it's college age.

I'm wondering how to treat such people. Even at the gym for example, one dude who didn't seem receptive to me talking to him, the day I came in with a haircut, he started talking to me and now we're much friendlier. He said my new haircut made me look a lot cleaner/less scruffy. Whatever, it's a haircut, you know? I'm still the same person. Why such different treatment?

How do you deal with such people that used to not like you, then you change (usually just superficially) and they like you? As a Christian, you should forgive people best as possible, but uh, how do I know they'll be good friends that'll stick by me?

You will know by letting them tell you by their actions. Words may be deceptive, but behavior can't lie.

As for why a haircut would make a difference, it is as you say in your signature, "Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner." Generally speaking, people care what others will think about them. The more attractive someone is, the more others believe it will increase their popularity rating by being with this attractive person.

Too many people think that a Christian is not being forgiving if he or she chooses to not associate with them. Forgiveness is in the heart. We are to pray for our enemies, but we don't have to hang out with them. Only by the grace of God, goes anyone.

I've found that as I gained confidence, it was misconstrued as arrogance. When that happens, it seems it does so among people who knew me before I gained confidence. The old me spoiled others by letting them have their way due to my naïveté. The new me is wiser and unattractive to them.

Agreed. Forgiveness doesn't mean you have to like them.

Judge by behavior. If people are talking to you, talk to them back. If they like you they will continue to talk, and not use 1 word answers.

Oddly, I don't really dislike these people. They never really did anything out of their way to do anything bad to me or anything. In the few times I talked to them, they were, you know, polite, but they simply don't/didn't seem to want much to do with me. I generally only tend to classify enemies as people who do intentionally malicious things to me. Maybe that's being generous, but still. These people just aren't friends, if that makes sense.