Today, as I was driving to go get gas, there was a school bus right in front of me filled with kids. The kids in the backseat saw me and immediately started to wave. I waved back and smiled and they got so excited that someone actually waved back and they started telling all of their friends in the back of the bus. It reminded me of when I was a little girl in elementary school; when I rode the bus after school with my best friends.

School has been a part of us since forever. I still can’t even believe that I started my Junior year three days ago. I remember thinking when I was in sixth grade, how old high schoolers seemed and now I am one. And soon I won’t be anymore. I’ll be out doing my own thing. In the world, exploring new ideas.

What I wanted to talk about was school in general. The high school experience or maybe, for you, the junior high experience. But, whatever it may be, I want to discuss it. For starters, it’s going to be hard. It’s guaranteed. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be enjoyable. Other than the schoolwork, making friends is the key to getting through school, or really anything you will ever do. Meet people. Talk to people! Talk to someone you never would have talked to in your life. Find out their story.

When you meet someone or see them in the hallways you only know a little piece of who they are. You only know what’s on the outside and what you have heard about them from other people. Sit down and have a conversation with them. If you set a goal to meet a new person everyday then think of all the people you could know and be friends with by the end of the school year! Now, I know that is easier said than done.

Sometimes it can be very hard to meet new people or to join a new group because we are worried about not having anything in common or what to say next but, the best way to get through this is by asking questions. Yes! It’s that simple! Think about it. Asking someone questions and having them respond is an easy way to start a conversation. There is always a pretty immediate answer and you could possibly find something that you both enjoy and go from there.

In starting junior high, I was coming from a completely different school district. I was so nervous about meeting people and especially at lunch. When the bell finally rang for me to eat I walked into the cafeteria nervously. I looked around at all of the people already sitting with their friends and laughing and to be honest, I was quite terrified. I walked up slowly to the first all-girls table that I saw and I asked if I could sit with them. Turns out those people ended up being my best friends all through junior high AND high school! All because I asked to sit somewhere with a bunch of people I didn’t know.

Also, in starting high school I had joined a top choir with a bunch of upperclassmen and we all had lunch together. I sat with some people in my grade at the beginning of the year but they weren’t exactly like me. I knew some upperclassman from the musical that I did my freshman year and I made a goal in my bullet journal to ask the upperclassman if I could sit with them at lunch and they said yes. And guess what! They ended up becoming my best friends for my sophomore and for my junior year this year.

But with these experiences there were still hardships. When you first join a new group it seems impossible to understand what they are talking about. Since they are all friends, they all know the same people or talk about what they did at their last hangout together. But I promise you if you stay with a group long enough and involve yourself in going to their hangouts or just try adding in comments or telling stories in conversation you will start to understand everything and everyone they are talking about. It’s like when you go for your first day at a new language class at school and you can’t understand a word the teacher is saying but by the end of the year, you can understand pretty much anything they say. You just have to stick with it and I promise it will be easier.

Invite people to hang out with you or go somewhere fun! What’s more fun than getting to know someone in a place other than school. Go ice skating, go to the movies, the mall, a restaurant; anywhere! Hanging out with a group outside of school is where it truly starts. That’s where you really get to know someone.

Just remember, it’s not always easy. You may feel lost or feel like you don’t belong in the beginning but everything WILL fall into place. Everything will happen as it needs to and you will end up great! Don’t stay with negativity and fight for friendships and start new friendships. You may feel alone, but you are never alone. There will always be someone there for you; someone willing to be your friend and all you have to do is meet them. By talking to other people it gets you one step closer to finding your next friend group or your next best friend. You can do this!

Uncategorized friends life lifestyle newstart school