Social Survival for the Rest of Us

LW is a great place, but it has its own issues.  While the numbers are changing, it is still true that a high percentage of students come from Lutheran grade schools.  That means that they come here with a built-in social safety net of friends.  Like everyone else, they're a little nervous about high school so they naturally stick close to the people they already know, especially for the first couple months of school.  So, how do you make friends?
 
First, check out prayer.  Your Father's heart is for you and He cares.  Talk to Him about what you're hoping for.  Talk to Him about the ups and downs of fitting in at a new school.  I've found that my loneliest times were the times that my relationship with Father became stronger than ever.  And, of course, straight up ask Him for people to connect with. 
 

Then, have patience.  Even though lots of kids come to LW with previous friends, things eventually change.  I was one of these kids.  I stuck close to my buddies from grade school for a few months early on, but that changed.  I only had 14 or so people in my eighth grade class, so there weren't many choices.  Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by all these other people that I shared more in common with.  I found friends that I connected with better than the ones from my old school.  By the end of high school I really wasn't tight with anyone from my original eighth grade class. 

Last, be persistent.  Every year around April I find out a couple of my freshmen aren't returning to LW the next year.  I like to ask why and usually the answer goes something like this: It's hard to make friends here and I miss my friends from grade school.  Now, I am not discounting their experience, but for every two students who say this, I can name five more that say the opposite and were able to make new friends at LW. 
 
But you've got to stick it out.  The key is to do something about it.  You may have to take the lead to say hello, invite yourself, offer to help someone, ask if you can sit a that table, and so on.  That is NOT easy for a lot of people, but a little discomfort will pay off if you do it.  The easiest way of all to make friends at LW, though, is to join an extracurricular activity.  Just by showing up to drama, intramurals, academic challenge, book club, or volleyball, you will be part of a group that often becomes a source of some of your closest friends.
 
Prayer, patience, and persistence.  They pay off.