Hannah Margaret is a college student, our guest writer, and blogger at hm. ~~ Your “How to Survive High School” today is about none other than how to make friends, because when it comes down to it, friendships get you through the hard times (and teenage years are hard, don’t let anyone tell you different). I’m not talking silly, we-take-pictures-together-but-hardly-talk friends, I mean stellar friends. I’m talking about friends that you can call from work, and despite telling them not to, leave to be by your side. I’m talking about friends that know you like the back of your hand, that give just as much as you give and keep you laughing until the wee hours of the morning. I’m talking real best friends.
1. Don’t put up with people who don’t let you be anyone but yourself. This is absolutely crucial, and you would think self-explanatory. But it’s not. You will want to change to fit into the crowd you want (or at least I did), but at the end of the day, you are happiest when you are completely yourself. It takes backbone and strength to be who you are, especially in such an unsteady time of life.
2. Don’t get stuck with old friends just because they are your friends. You will change and they will change, it’s okay to break free of a group you’ve been with for years. This can be extremely applicable to people who have been in the same school system their whole lives or who live in a small town. Just remember to not burn bridges, and gracefully leave without making it more dramatic than it needs to be (a massive deal for any and all girls).
3. Get involved in activities where you want to be around people that do that activity. For instance, a problem arises if you want to join to Math Club but don’t want to hang around people that like math. I did the plays and musicals because I enjoyed spending my extra time with those people. They were silly, smart, passionate and talented—my ideal crowd. Previously, I had tried a number of groups that seemed cool on the outside, but once in I found they lacked substance and real friendship.
4. Two bits to always remember: Remember you always find friends in unexpected places and all friendships are two-way. Always go out on a limb, go to that baseball game that you might not want to go to, get involved with that music group you are scared but talented enough to join and make new friends. My mom has always said to have a friend you must be a friend. Giving of your time and energy, checking up after that Anatomy test and my favorite, locker notes are fabulous ways to be there for someone. Also keep in mind, if you are doing everything and they other person in the friendship just soaks it in without anything in return, it may be time to look elsewhere.
Without a doubt, finding non-superficial and wonderful girlfriends is a challenge, but it’s not impossible. I have a handful of the best babes in the world on my side, and it took forever for me to realize what kind of friend I wanted to have and be. So if you take any of the advice I gave today, you’ll be better of than when I started! Stay strong babes! xoxo
~By Hannah Margaret Allen. For a fantastically great posts and a well-traveled blog adventure, check out HannahMargaretAllen.blogspot.com