Questions to Ask When Making New Friends in High School

Ask your new friend if they are involved in any school organizations or sports. One of the ways you can invest in a friendship is to figure out things you may enjoy doing together, suggests Helpguide.org. You may find out they participate in an activity that interests you or you just have similar interests overall. Perhaps a new friend says they play the flute in the school band. If you play an instrument too, ask them how you can also join. Maybe your friend is in the chess club; ask them if you can accompany them to the next meeting. Find friends, join clubs together and start having fun! Finding friends who are in the same after school activities as you gives you extra time to get to know them and make memories.

Find out what classes your new friend likes and dislikes and engage in small talk to figure out why they feel that way. See if they parallel or differ from your own, or if you share any common interests. Perhaps your friend enjoys math because they would rather solve problems than write an essay. Or, your friend enjoys Spanish class because they want to travel to Mexico one day. If you find out a friend does well in a subject in which you are struggling, you can ask her to assist you with your homework or to help you study for an upcoming exam. Also, offer to help her in an area with which she is struggling.

Your new friend probably has many plans in mind for their future beyond high school. Ask them about their career pursuits and ask them to give you the reasons why those areas interest them. Asking open ended questions might also lead them to telling you stories about fun memories, places they’ve traveled or experiences they’ve had that could tell you more about them. Maybe they desire to follow in the footsteps of their older brother and become a lawyer. Perhaps they want to be a veterinarian because they are a pet lover. Additionally, ask him if he has plans to further his education after graduation. Find out what colleges interest him. He might have the same colleges as you in mind. If he does not plan to attend college, ask him if wants to join the military or go to a trade school.

Ask your new friend what places teens go after class or on the weekends, such as a local pizza shop, teen center or arcade. Suggest going together or meeting them there, you never know, they could say yes! This would be a great opportunity to start conversations or meet their group of friends. Additionally, ask for their email, social media page or text message number, so you can contact them if you want to make plans to meet up. Not only is technology an efficient way to contact friends, it can allow you to have a stronger sense of connection, Gretchen Rubin, author of "The Happiness Project," writes on "Psychology Today" online.

High school can be scary for some students and it can be hard to find close friends right off the bat. Especially if you didn’t go to middle school with the same students who go to your high school, it is important to meet people and find good friends that you can spend those 4 years with. Focus on cultivating a social life that is made up of good friends who boost your self-esteem and are a group of people you love hanging out with. Don’t be shy, and just have fun!