While making friends in a new environment can seem like stepping outside of your “comfort zone,” “the best way to make friends and build meaningful connections is to meet as many people as you can; naturally, you will spend more time with the people you closely relate to.” Interviewed by a peer as the captain of Science Olympiad and a prominent member of other school groups, Huan Le, an 11th grader, has proven himself in high school and finds time for his friends after spending a significant amount of time in class.
You need to get out there; things don’t just “happen.”. And yes, it might seem like your last choice to read an essay on how to make friends. Still, you must take the initiative and allow yourself to feel the vulnerability of forming friendships that bring the individuals you want to be friends with closer to you if you want to create those special memories that will last a lifetime. You can’t always get what you want if you don’t push yourself for it.
I didn’t want to say it, but be you. The reason behind the disdain for the cliche “be you” is because it is a cliche. But the reason why it is a cliche is because it works. Why would you want to be friends with someone who you can’t be yourself around? That’s like continuously eating your least favorite food and then encouraging everyone on how good it tastes. At some point, you still aren’t going to like the food, no matter how many times you eat it. Yes, you became friends with them; congratulations, but at what cost? Not being your true self? The most important takeaway in making friends is discovering who you are, which is beautiful. Make room for others to embrace you, and to do so, you must make sure you have let yourself become appreciated for who you are.
“If you really like a group, keep them close.” Le ensures that not only should you not be afraid to be yourself to make friends, but also don’t be certain of the thought that you must be friends with those surrounding you. According to the UN World Population Prospects, there are 8.2 billion people in the world. And if your environment won’t let it happen, then change it. So what’s stopping you?
