Let me see if I can help you out. When I started middle school, I had practically no friends, just 1 or 2 from 5th grade. In gym, I sat next to someone named Brian who was pretty popular. I never bothered anyone, I just dressed nice, looked my best, and just chilled most the time when he sat in the bleachers. One day he started talking with me and introduced me to his friends that were sitting by him, including a real hot popular chick who has the same last name as me. I never over-asserted myself in a topic or conversation, mostly just listened and learned about them. I was really small, too; one of the smallest in the school. But no one ever messed with me because I never started a problem with anyone; I was mainly just cool with everyone and anyone. Eventually, I became one of the most popular kids at the school. My girl friends would argue back and forth saying "he's my brother, not yours!" At the last dance of the year in 8th grade I was surrounded by people watching me break dance with some other guys; I wasn't even that good but made it look good and fun. The main thing was that I always was in a good mood and never gave anyone a reason not to like me.
I had kids in my class that would smoke weed in the back during class and another once pissed in the corner after the bell rang but I was friends with them, too. I had a lot of "bad" friends but I never snitched on them for anything. That's one thing you never want to do (unless someone's life is in danger); nobody likes someone who snitches, it's a bad trait. I think it's worse than cheating. You never have to do something you don't want to do to fit in. If some people are smoking a joint and you don't want any but they offer you some, don't freak out and tell them its bad for them (which is not true), just tell them that you're good and you don't smoke. And if someone calls you a name for not doing so, just agree with them and laugh it off. Don't give them the satisfaction and you'll look better. If they keep going on saying the same thing, say "Alright, we heard that one. Let's move on to the next joke or can you only store 1 at a time?"
Another thing, the Pokémon and games. Now there's no problem with playing games like that or other Nintendo games but I'd just keep it to a minimum. People make fun of others for playing Pokémon so don't talk about that so openly as well as playing your DS too much. If someone starts to mess with you when you are playing something, you gotta get tough and say something like "I'm gonna smash your f****** mouth until your jaw falls off if you touch me or my game one more time; give me a reason" and say it like you mean it. You'll get more respect if you stand up for yourself, and most of the time the people that were messing with you only do so because they think you won't do anything about it so when you come back at them hard, they might get scared and the tables would turn.
The main things to remember are to be yourself, stay calm and cool, and don't let anyone get under your skin. Don't be shy and be ready to join in conversations with your other peers. It's good to be smart, but not good to be the teachers pet or a know it all that corrects everyone. And be undiscriminating, have friends of all kinds, black, white, yellow, brown, girl, guy, Spanish, Italian, gay, Goth, jocks... I had so many different friends, and they always told me that they had my back anytime. I hope this helps you out with your school year. As long as you try to do what I wrote and just try to keep a pretty chill attitude, an I'm sure you'll have a better year. Good luck and I hope this helps! Let me see if I can help you out. When I started middle school, I had practically no friends, just 1 or 2 from 5th grade. In gym, I sat next to someone named Brian who was pretty popular. I never bothered anyone, I just dressed nice, looked my best, and just chilled most the time when he sat in the bleachers. One day he started talking with me and introduced me to his friends that were sitting by him, including a real hot popular chick who has the same last name as me. I never over-asserted myself in a topic or conversation, mostly just listened and learned about them. I was really small, too; one of the smallest in the school. But no one ever messed with me because I never started a problem with anyone; I was mainly just cool with everyone and anyone. Eventually, I became one of the most popular kids at the school. My girl friends would argue back and forth saying "he's my brother, not yours!" At the last dance of the year in 8th grade I was surrounded by people watching me break dance with some other guys; I wasn't even that good but made it look good and fun. The main thing was that I always was in a good mood and never gave anyone a reason not to like me.
I had kids in my class that would smoke weed in the back during class and another once pissed in the corner after the bell rang but I was friends with them, too. I had a lot of "bad" friends but I never snitched on them for anything. That's one thing you never want to do (unless someone's life is in danger); nobody likes someone who snitches, it's a bad trait. I think it's worse than cheating. You never have to do something you don't want to do to fit in. If some people are smoking a joint and you don't want any but they offer you some, don't freak out and tell them its bad for them (which is not true), just tell them that you're good and you don't smoke. And if someone calls you a name for not doing so, just agree with them and laugh it off. Don't give them the satisfaction and you'll look better. If they keep going on saying the same thing, say "Alright, we heard that one. Let's move on to the next joke or can you only store 1 at a time?"
Another thing, the Pokémon and games. Now there's no problem with playing games like that or other Nintendo games but I'd just keep it to a minimum. People make fun of others for playing Pokémon so don't talk about that so openly as well as playing your DS too much. If someone starts to mess with you when you are playing something, you gotta get tough and say something like "I'm gonna smash your f****** mouth until your jaw falls off if you touch me or my game one more time; give me a reason" and say it like you mean it. You'll get more respect if you stand up for yourself, and most of the time the people that were messing with you only do so because they think you won't do anything about it so when you come back at them hard, they might get scared and the tables would turn.
The main things to remember are to be yourself, stay calm and cool, and don't let anyone get under your skin. Don't be shy and be ready to join in conversations with your other peers. It's good to be smart, but not good to be the teachers pet or a know it all that corrects everyone. And be undiscriminating, have friends of all kinds, black, white, yellow, brown, girl, guy, Spanish, Italian, gay, Goth, jocks... I had so many different friends, and they always told me that they had my back anytime. I hope this helps you out with your school year. As long as you try to do what I wrote and just try to keep a pretty chill attitude, an I'm sure you'll have a better year. Good luck and I hope this helps! |