A Guide To Making High School Friends
February 28, 2020
How To Make Friends At A New High School
Making friends in high school can make even the most confident of people a nervous wreck. At this stage of your life, you tend to make some of your closest friends. High school friends are often the ones who stick with you for life. If you’ve entered into a new school without your primary school buddies at your side, you’re not alone. Many of us face the same struggle but soon you will have made some amazing new companions. Here’s how you can go about making friends.
Step one: Remember names
Part of making new high school friends comes with showing them that you’re interested in who they are. The best chance to make a good first impression is to remember their names when meeting them. To do this, find a way to link their name with a characteristic that they have or even a unique little rhyme about them. A name is important to every person as it makes them who they are. If you can remember this, you are more likely to earn their attention.
Step two: Wear a smile
There’s an old saying that goes something like, “smile and the whole world will smile with you.” Smiling makes people think you are friendly and warm. This makes it a good way to strike up a conversation and initiate a friendship. As a result, people will feel drawn to you and more willing to be your friend. It’s amazing how many things start with a smile. You might just make someone’s day.
Step three: Make people feel like they matter
Paying attention to people you meet during conversation is a good way to cement a friendship. This can be achieved through listening to what they have to say and asking them questions related to what they’ve said. It shows that you take a deeper interest in them and what they’re all about. This will make them more eager to tell you more about themselves and even ask about you.
Step four: Forget about popularity
Some of the best people you will ever meet are often not considered part of the “in-crowd.” In the same breath, a smaller group of trusted friends is often better than an army. We suggest focusing on making a few quality friends over being friends with the masses. Close friends add value to your life where a large number of friends will add stress and worry. You can also pay more attention to each of your friends instead of trying to spread yourself too thin.
Step five: Stay true to yourself
No friend is worth compromising yourself or your values for. Be who you are and those who are worthy of your friendship will appreciate you and want to be close to you. In order to have meaningful friendships, being truthful and honest with yourself and your buddies is a must. When you are authentic and genuine, your friendships will be the same too.
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