How to Make Friends in School when You Are Extremely Shy
Smile at others., Say "hi"., Give a compliment., Ask people questions about themselves., Practice talking to lots of people.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Smile at others.
Smiling is the most important thing you can do to look friendly and approachable.
When you catch someone’s eye or someone talks to you, smile – it lets the person know that you’re glad to interact, even if you don’t know what to say.You don’t have to walk around wearing a grin all the time because that would be unnatural.
Just practice keeping an open, pleasant expression on your face most of the time. -
Step 2: Say "hi".
Go out of your way to greet people you’d like to be friends with.
If you don’t know the person at all, introduce yourself and ask what the other person’s name is.
Talking to someone you don’t know well might feel awkward if you’re not used to doing it, but most people will be happy to chat with you., Saying something nice is always a good way to break the ice with a person you want to befriend.
If you don’t know what to say, consider complimenting someone on their contributions to class discussions, their handwriting, or their outfit.For instance, you could say to your neighbor in class, “I love your pencil case.
Where did you get it?” , One of the surest ways to make friends with someone is to be interested in them.
Show that you’re interested by asking genuine (but not nosy) questions about your classmates’ hobbies, families, and favorite subjects at school.
As an added benefit, you won’t have to talk so much when you encourage others to talk about themselves.For instance, you could ask a classmate, “What kind of books do you like to read?” or “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” , Meeting new people might feel scary now, but the more you do it, the easier it will become.
Set a goal to talk to one new person every week or every day.
As you widen your social network and have more positive interactions with people, you’ll feel less nervous.Joining an extracurricular activity like a sports team or drama club will give you lots of opportunities to practice talking to people. -
Step 3: Give a compliment.
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Step 4: Ask people questions about themselves.
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Step 5: Practice talking to lots of people.
Detailed Guide
Smiling is the most important thing you can do to look friendly and approachable.
When you catch someone’s eye or someone talks to you, smile – it lets the person know that you’re glad to interact, even if you don’t know what to say.You don’t have to walk around wearing a grin all the time because that would be unnatural.
Just practice keeping an open, pleasant expression on your face most of the time.
Go out of your way to greet people you’d like to be friends with.
If you don’t know the person at all, introduce yourself and ask what the other person’s name is.
Talking to someone you don’t know well might feel awkward if you’re not used to doing it, but most people will be happy to chat with you., Saying something nice is always a good way to break the ice with a person you want to befriend.
If you don’t know what to say, consider complimenting someone on their contributions to class discussions, their handwriting, or their outfit.For instance, you could say to your neighbor in class, “I love your pencil case.
Where did you get it?” , One of the surest ways to make friends with someone is to be interested in them.
Show that you’re interested by asking genuine (but not nosy) questions about your classmates’ hobbies, families, and favorite subjects at school.
As an added benefit, you won’t have to talk so much when you encourage others to talk about themselves.For instance, you could ask a classmate, “What kind of books do you like to read?” or “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” , Meeting new people might feel scary now, but the more you do it, the easier it will become.
Set a goal to talk to one new person every week or every day.
As you widen your social network and have more positive interactions with people, you’ll feel less nervous.Joining an extracurricular activity like a sports team or drama club will give you lots of opportunities to practice talking to people.
About the Author
Ann Myers
Ann Myers has dedicated 3 years to mastering education and learning. As a content creator, Ann focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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