Can you please help me with some of your advice, please!?!?

Question

Basically I have a situation on my hands, and it's making me really nervous and I'm actually pretty scared. So anyhow...

Three years ago my family and I moved to a new town. It was the first time my brothers and I would live in a new town and start a new school with new people. Me and my one brother went to a school, but after the first year we both refused to go back, I had trouble making friends and wanted a change. And my brother just hated it. So my mom sent my brother (and my other brother in a different school, that he hated) to a different school in are town, from a different school division. I also changed to the school division but I couldn't go to the same school because it's a year behind me. (They build another grade to the school every year. Example: They are building on Grade Nine right now and I'm going into Grade Ten.) So my brothers (who are younger) can go there till the graduate. But I went to a school in the country, I got up really early, got home late and was always tired and my body and grades got the bad end of the deal. I went to the school in the country for the last two years (Grade Eight and Nine) and it only goes up to Grade Nine. So now I have to find a high school, and I'm going to the one in my town, back to the first division. I'm going back to school with people from Grade Seven. And most of the people from Grade Eight and Nine that I like are not. So, basically, I'm really scared. I mean, I know that people change, and that there might be new students. But I don't know what to do. I still live in the same house I always have since I moved here. And I see the people around town (although I normally hide or avoid them). I'm really shy, and I get really nervous. Nothing bad happened in Grade Seven, I just had trouble making friends and I always felt alone. I just felt like I didn't fit in. I don't know what to do, I've been dreading this day (September 2) for a long time. I don't know who I'm going to seat by or who to talk to on the first day. I've been told to just walk in there like I own the place, walk in and talk to a bunch of people and seat wherever (I'm really shy!) and I've been told to walk in and get everyone to want to be my friend. I just don't know what to do, maybe I'm over analyzing, but I am scared. Please help with any advice you may have.

What do I do?

Where do I sit?

How do I act?

Who do I talk to?

What other advice do you have for me?

THANKS SOOOO MUCH!!

Tamara.

Answer 1

The first thing you need to do is try to relax and just be yourself.  If you are shy, you are not going to be able to just walk into a new situation and be cheery and chatty, so don't try because you will come off fake.  Before sitting somewhere try to make sure that the seat isn't taken or assigned.  But when the opportunity for conversation with a nearby person arising you need to take it.  Some may ask if you are new so you may need to explain that you were enrolled in a different school for a few years and just transferred back.  Check the school bulletin board for clubs and activities that you may be interested in and try to join them, that will give you an opportunity to meet people who have similar interests and it will keep you occupied and get you out since you are shy.  Most of all you need to realize that high school ends and you will be an adult and off on your own and that you most likely will not maintain any friendships you make while there anyway so don't obsess about it.  Good luck and God Bless.