Dear Zsyrii,

As a new student, how do I make friends once everyone has come so far and already made their friends? How do I talk and get to know people?

-New Student 

Dear New Student, 

Everyone at some point in their lives has been somewhere, or has done something they aren’t familiar with, understanding that everyone has been in your shoes before. Most people in school aren’t likely to be mean to someone they know is new, or someone they don’t know at all.

Even though friendships are already established, you should try to engage more with your classmates. If you sit alone in a corner, that doesn’t show that you are approachable. Try starting a conversation with a classmate that sits by you. If you notice that they are doing something you also like to do, start a conversation and build off that. When trying to make new friends, you have to be more outgoing and open to new things.

Try joining a club- even though most clubs are already initiated, it’s worth a try. Clubs expose you to groups of people you have things in common with, which makes it easier to build a friendship. If you don’t find any clubs you’re interested in, then try making friends in your everyday classes. Making friends is all about being open to new things and becoming more social. People aren’t going to know you are open to a friendship if you don’t express it.