How to Make Friends in Middle School

Leaving your comfort zone and peer groups in elementary school to move on to the more intimidating middle school is both frightening and exciting. While it's hard to part from your routine with your old friends, your new school offers new opportunities and new people to meet.

Instructions

1. Show someone else a bit of kindness. The first step to making new friends in middle school is to get out and be the kind of friend you'd like to meet. When you see another new student struggling in some way, break the ice by offering a smile and some encouragement.

2. Keep a positive attitude. When your day isn't going your way, don't let it affect your whole outlook or take it too seriously. Other people will be drawn to your ability to laugh off little setbacks.

3. Nurture your talents and interests. Make friends with people you have something in common with. Sign up for extracurricular activities and you'll find kids who like what you like.

4. Introduce yourself. It's probably the hardest thing to do if you worry about rejection, but you'll never know whether that person sitting next to you in the assembly could be your new best friend if you don't say "Hi."

5. Enlist the help of your friends from elementary school. Just like you, they're in new classes with new people. Introduce each other to the kids you're meeting in class and after school, and you'll have a larger group of people to pal around with.

6. Invite someone over after school. Ask that kid from math class to hang out and stay for pizza. It's a great way to get to know each other outside the pressures of the school setting.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep up your self-confidence even if you don't click with every kid you meet. You won't be friends with everyone in middle school.

• Plan things to do with your old friends and new friends on the weekends so that you can spend more relaxed time together.

• Don't forget your old elementary school friends just because you're making new friends. They might not be having as easy a time as you at meeting new people.