How to Find Friends Fast in High School

Getting through four years of high school is easier with good friends. Although the friends you make in your first year may not be the ones you keep until the end, some of the people you meet in your first few days could wind up helping you through late-night study sessions and high school drama. When looking for friends, keep your mind open to the different ways you can meet people and the different types of people you can befriend.

You don't have to wait until school starts to make new friends. Online forums and social networking sites can connect you to people who will be attending your school. You can even search for and join online groups specific to your high school and graduating year. A quick message to introduce yourself and engage in small talk about classes can start a potential friendship before you even step through the school halls.

No matter where you are -- in class, at the bus stop or at your locker -- a potential friend waits. All you have to do is strike up a conversation. Brush up on your small talk skills and have topics of conversation ready. According to the book “How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends” by best-selling author and former media spokesperson Don Gabor, the point of starting a conversation is to make a connection with people. Ask your locker neighbor how his classes are going, or bond with the girl in your English class about your mutual distaste for writing essays. All it takes is one conversation to spark a friendship.

Once you’ve met someone new, a quick way to meet more people is to be introduced to that person's group of friends. Unless new to the area, someone will usually go into high school still friends with middle school buddies. Having someone who can introduce you to a group of people saves you the time it would take to meet all of them individually. Plus, if you already get along with your new pal, there is a good chance you will get along with others who do so as well.

Check out school clubs, volunteer opportunities, sports teams and other extracurricular programs you can get involved in at your school. This is an easy and fun way to meet people who share your interests. Even if you don't make it on a sports team or get cast in the school play, trying out is still a way to meet and bond with new people. Another benefit to participating in extracurricular activities in high school is that you will likely meet people you wouldn't generally be friends with, according to the “Handbook of Research on Student Engagement,” edited by Sandra L. Christenson, Amy L. Reschly and Cathy Wylie.