There are many new sixth graders, friend groups split up because of lunch or travel, and new students. One big problem in middle school is finding friends, whether you’re lonely or just want to meet more people. No one has perfect advice, but here are a few tips and ideas.
Tip #1: Be the first to ask. YOU are the one who needs a friend, so YOU need to be the one who takes action and starts talking to someone. Something to remember: people can always use another friend. There’s no such thing as too much love or too many people you know!
Tip #2: Ask questions! They know a lot more about themselves than you do. Get to know this person by asking them about themselves and really hearing them. They’ll appreciate someone listening to them and you might find you have something in common. Some good questions to start with might be “What are your hobbies?” “Do you play any sports?” or “How was your weekend?”.
Tip #3: Be friendly and approachable. If someone else is looking for a friend and you’re looking down at your phone or making yourself seem small or in a bad mood, they probably won’t want to talk to you. Smile and be open!
Tip #4: Talk to your friend’s friends. If you have a few friends who are good, kind people, then they probably have other friends who are good, kind people too! Ask to be introduced or go find them and say hi if they were pointed out to you earlier.
Tip #5: It’s okay to be shy. Even if you want a group of friends, walking up to a big group can be a little intimidating. Start with one person at first, and soon you might find that your relationship with them has grown! Together you can meet more people.
Tip #6: Be yourself! This is recycled advice, but it works! Learn to be comfortable in your own skin, and be okay with awkwardness. It’s hard to meet and talk to new people, but if you practice making friends now in middle school it will be so much easier in high school and your adult life.
It’s impossible to be an expert on making friends because there’s no right way to do it. This article wasn’t written so that you can be friends with everyone, but it’s so that you can have someone to help you through this crazy time called middle school. Good luck and go Bobcats! Leave a comment!
Sources:
–https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/how-to-make-new-friends-at-school/
–https://young.scot/get-informed/a-shy-persons-guide-to-making-friends-at-school/
–https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/how-to-make-friends
