Plucking up the courage to talk to your peers isn’t easy, but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible either!
If you want to make some friends in middle school, but you are feeling underconfident or stressed about it, then you have come to the right place!
We have put together some helpful tips that will help you make friends in middle school.
As long as you follow the tips, have some patience, and you’re willing to go a little bit out of your comfort zone, you should have no problems finding some friends that will stick with you!
How To Make Friends In Middle School
When you are willing to put yourself out there, you will be surprised by how far that little bit of extra effort will get you.
Sometimes, it’s not enough to wait for someone else to make the first move, but with the tips, we have provided for you here, you should be able to make some new friends with no issues.
Believe in yourself and believe that you are worthy of making friends. You will be surprised by how far this self-belief will take you!
Speak To Someone Who’s On Their Own
If you feel confident and comfortable enough, one of the easiest things you can do to make a new friend is to find someone who is on their own.
It’s a lot easier to make friends with a single person who isn’t shielded by a group, and you won’t feel as much pressure or embarrassment if it doesn’t work out for whatever reason.
If you see someone in the cafeteria who is sitting alone, or you see someone in class who is by themselves, just go up to them and ask if they mind you sitting by them!
After a couple of minutes, you can strike up a casual conversation and see where it takes you!
Look For Common Interests
More often than not, people become friends because they share the same interests, and this definitely applies to middle school friends!
You will have to be a bit observant for this one, but it isn’t too difficult once you’ve got the hang of it!
Look out for badges or stickers on their books or bags, or if you have heard them talking about something you enjoy and then bring that common interest up to them.
If you are enthusiastic and friendly about it, you are likely to get positive results.
Be Friendly And Approachable
If you close yourself off, this can be a big factor as to why you aren’t having much luck making friends.
When it comes to other people, you need to be friendly and approachable, and the easiest way to do this is through body language.
Stand up straight, hold eye contact, and don’t forget to smile!
This might seem like it’s a bit too easy, but you will be incredibly surprised by how much more likely others will approach you if you work on these little quirks.
You might not make a friend straight away, but you will have much more positive interactions with others and eventually, it will land with someone so you can strike up a conversation.
Join A Team Or Club
Like the common interest tip, finding people in a team or a club can really help you find friends.
Find a team or a club that interests you and is centered around something you are passionate about and you should naturally find people to make friends with.
The first couple of times you go might be a bit uncomfortable, but if you stick it out and stay enthusiastic, other people in your club or team will be naturally drawn to you.
The more you attend, the more you might find yourself approaching others too!
Become Friends With Your Friend’s Friends
Even if you only have one other friend, see if they’d want to hang out with you with their friends too!
This is a great way to network and meet other people, while also having some moral support there the whole time.
If your friend is enthusiastic about mixing their friends with you, make sure you introduce yourself and get to know the friends more, and start building relationships with them.
It might take a few times hanging out with them before either of you are comfortable hanging out without your friend, but it’s worth it in the long run!
Say Yes To Invitations
When you haven’t got many friends, it’s easy to say no to invitations, but this is actually harming your chance to make new friends!
Putting yourself out there and participating in larger group settings is the best way to leave an impression on others, which in most cases, will lead to you making more friends.
So the next time you get invited to something, make sure that you say yes!
Spend Time With People Who Make You Feel Good
When you really want to make friends, it can be easy to just latch on to the first people who give you any form of attention.
But if these people make you feel awful about yourself and they put you down and treat you negatively, don’t settle and move on!
It’s always so important to only make friends with and spend time with people who make you feel good about yourself.
Don’t settle for people who bring you down and don’t put up with people who treat you badly, no matter how badly you want to make some new friends!
Conclusion
Making friends is challenging no matter what age you are, and when you are in middle school, it can really cause you a lot of stress.
But if you use the tips we have provided here and you allow yourself to come out of your shell, you will have no issues making friends!
Be patient and believe in yourself, and you will make friends in no time at all!
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