Letters To My Middle School Self: Making New Friends

We all like to be comfortable. To be in familiar situations that we know how to handle. To be surrounded by ‘good friends’. You know, those friends that you’ve known as long as you can remember. While good friends are important, it can also be an amazing experience to make new friends.

But, it can be scary meeting new people, especially in middle school. While walking into a room full of strangers can be daunting, I urge you to be confident in moments like these. I’d like to offer two tips to help.

Tip #1 - Smile. Smiling is a simple way to show new people that you have a positive attitude and that you are friendly. When in doubt, just smile and introduce yourself to people around you.

Tip #2 - Be a conversation starter. Ask people what they like to do. Inquire. By being the person that starts conversation, you are showing others that you want to interact, to be friendly. Through these ice-breaking conversations you can learn something new or gain a new perspective.

While it is easier to stick by those who make you feel comfortable, I encourage you to put yourself outside of your comfort zone from time to time. These moments can help you grow as a person and boost your confidence! If this seems like a daunting task for those of you who are shyer in social situations, I suggest setting small goals for yourself. Let’s say you are going to your first session of a new camp (cough, cough, like Camp LiveGirl). Set a goal to meet someone new every day of the camp. By the end of the camp you’ll have met a handful of other people, and some of them may turn out to be your friends beyond that week in camp.

So, remember. When you walk into that new environment, smile, introduce yourself, spark conversation and be yourself.