The Advice Column II

224

Advice Request
This person feels lonely and doesn't have anyone to talk to in school.

Answered Submission
Hey!

It's normal for people to drift apart sometimes, and it may all be for the best. If you feel so lonely and you need a friend, making new ones is always an option! You can find other friends in your grade or in clubs in which you have interests, so you can find people like you. You said you liked art, so joining an art club will not only help you, but you can also gain friends from there. A lot of the genuine friends I've made have been from clubs I've joined. You also can't force a friendship; you can at least try to make it work. But I believe if you stay open minded and very friendly, you'll make friends very quickly, and you won't feel so lonely anymore.

Also, don't be too hard on yourself and feel as if it's your fault that your friends were not who you thought they were. You can look at how you drifted apart and see if there was something you did wrong because, for all you know, there's nothing you need to 'fix' about yourself—provided you've always been genuine. Maybe they also have issues in their lives, or they want to be around new people, or their interest has changed. There could be many reasons that are not necessarily you. The most important thing is to stay being you and being the best you can possibly be. Whether people come in or out of your life, or choose to stay in it, it will be all for the best. High school is also very different from middle school, and you'll be maturing a lot, so this is your chance to choose people that you want to grow with and have good memories with. I hope you find an amazing group of people in high school.

Good luck,

The Advice Column Team