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Dear Dish-It: New Classmates

Sep 07, 2011

Dear Dish-It,

I was split up from my friends in my class, and now I don’t know anyone except my old friend – who isn’t exactly my BFF. I'm sad and scared ...

NERVOUS

New Classmates

Dear NERVOUS,

I’m sorry; it sucks to be away from your best friends, especially when the feeling you’re left with is one of loneliness or sadness. It totally adds to the stress of going back to school. BUT, the good news is, things CAN – and WILL – change! Check out my advice!

Turn a Negative into a Positive

The first thing you need to do in order to feel better and turn this stressful situation around is change your attitude. I know it’s easy to just sink into sadness without your friends with you in class, but why not think of this as a perfect opportunity to meet some new people, instead? Think about it: that strange girl or guy sitting next to you in class could be an incredible future friend! Keep your positive outlook up, and good things are bound to happen!

Make the First Move

So, how exactly do you make new friends in your class? Well, you COULD wait for them to talk to you … OR, you could be the brave, friendly one and make the first move! Nervous? That’s normal; but once the first “Hi,” has been uttered, the rest is gravy! Another trick: ask one of your classmates if you can borrow a pencil or a piece of paper. It’s the perfect excuse to talk to someone new … and possibly make a new BFF!

After-School Plans

Last but not least, in order to not feel totally disconnected from your friends, make plans to meet up with them after school, at lunch or on the weekend, so you can talk about how your classes are going and who some of the new people you’ve met are. You guys can also choose to join after-school clubs or teams together, where you can spend quality time with each other. Finally, when you do make better friends with the people in your own class, be sure to introduce them to your old besties – it’s always nice to expand your circle of friends, especially if you can all hang out together once the final bell has rung!