Making Friends at New High School

Updated on September 02, 2010
R.M. asks from Novato, CA
7 answers

My daughter is a freshman in high school. She went to a small charter school k-8, so she only knows a few people at her new school. Kids are nice to her in class, and even communicate with her on facebook, but she can't find anybody to have lunch with. All of her acquaintances sit with their middle school cliques and ignore anybody who tries to join them. I've advised her to be patient and keep trying (there must be other new kids, right?), but she's starting to get discouraged in her 3rd week of school. She's branded herself a loser who can't even find a friend to sit with at lunch. I'm worried that she's heading in a downward spiral that keeps feeding on itself.

FYI, she plays sports, but her sports are in spring. None of the clubs offered at her school hold any appeal. She has many interests, but there aren't any clubs about her interests. I've asked her guidance counselor for input and advice as well, but if anybody has any ideas of how she can bridge the gap, I'd love to hear them.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hmmmm....not sure if this applies to a high-schooler....but O. of the kids in my son's class was having similar issues--very nice kid, but no "buddy" to hang with. He started throwing up every day and eating lunch with the nurse :-(
My son's teacher asked me & then, my son if he would ask him to join him for lunch O. day and it really helped him to feel more comfortable about being in the caf with the others. Do you think a teacher or guidance counselor could suggest someone/facilitate something? Or maybe high school is too "old" for that type of thing....?

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N.P.

answers from Modesto on

School just started.......try to give it a little more time......I'm sorry :o( These are the hardest transitions for US to watch our children make.......

Once she's in school a little while longer, then she begin to make more new friends....she'll start "bonding" with someone from one of her classes that she shares a "strength" in.....probably a yound girl feeling the same way your daughter feels right now....and, right now her judgement is "clouded" and she only see's the groups because she wishes she was in one.......she will be eventually......even the "geeks" have groups :O) (not saying she's a geek, like me, I'm just pointing out that even girls like me find their groups!) Everyone is part of a group of somekind eventually.

This is soooooo hard! She will be OK, just keep an eye on her emotionally. We don't want her to get depressed, and that's so easy to do when FRIENDS ARE EVERYTHING to our young adults.It's great that you've talked to the counselor already....perhaps there's something she's interested in outside of school for the Fall?

I truly wish you the best of emotions through this!

~N. :O)

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M.B.

answers from Sacramento on

It's hard transition. See msg.

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M.E.

answers from San Francisco on

Who the eat lunch with was always a scary time for me when I was growing up. My suggestion would be to look for someone else who is alone and approach them. I know that may sound scary but there are probably others out there who are new or don't have a group. I can emphasize with your daughter. Let her know that others went through what she's going through and I completely understand how she feels. :)

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

Talk to the guidance counselor.
Your daughter may be feeling more sensitive about not fitting in than necessary. I mean, has she actually tried sitting with her acquaintences or does she just assume that they will ignore her? It's hard putting yourself out there sometimes, especially when you're a freshman.
Both of my kids were always enlisted (and happily complied) with taking the new or shy kids under their wing. They showed them around, ate lunch with them, introduced them to other kids. My kids were often buddied up with special needs children as well because they treated them just like any other kid.
My son was a freshman last year, and even though he had all of his friends from elementary and middle school there at the same time, one of the most popular jocks in the entire school assigned himself to my son. He not only showed my son around, but showed my son where HIS locker and classes were, ate lunch with him and told him that if anybody messed with him or treated him badly to let him know and he would deal with it. My son thought it was AWESOME! The truth is....it's nothing different than my son had always done for other kids and now that he's a sophomore, he looks out for the freshman.
Your daughter is NOT a loser, she's not a charity case or anything, but I'll bet you there are kids that are known for having a knack for inviting other kids in. I'm sure her school knows exactly who they are.
High school is hard. Adjusting to everything the first year is tough. It's all new, but she will find her way and settle in.

The other thing is, none of the clubs hold appeal to her. There are no clubs for her particular interests. How does she know if she doesn't try? If she doesn't at least go to a meeting to see if it's what she might like or not?
It's hard putting yourself out there, but she can't wait for engraved invitations and a red carpet rolled out....
Being picky and isolating herself won't help anything.
Maybe someone can buddy up with her until she gets the confidence to reach out. There are so many opportunities to really have fun in high school.
I think she'll get it figured out.

Best wishes.

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P.W.

answers from San Francisco on

School just started! She has to give it time. Tell her to join a sport or some clubs, even if she's not particularly interested in them, and she's pretty likely to make friends that way. If she's not willing to do that, she may be without friends for a while. But she will make some eventually.

My kids also went from a small charter school to a large high school, but they adjusted. But most or all of their new friends were made within some school group or sport they joined -- dance for my daughter, debate and track for my son.

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M.S.

answers from Salinas on

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