Making friends as someone forced to homeschool?

Question

my parents decided to homeschool me at the end of 4th grade, im in tenth now but i dont really have any local friends. ive moved around since then and everyone i know lives three hours away. but i want to know how can i meet people, not online but friends to hang out with on the weekends. i live in orlando so most people i meet are either on vacation and will be leaving in a few days so that doesnt really help. where can i go to meet people my age and how do you meet people like im not just gonna walk up and be like hey whats your name? thats weird. yes this proves once again homeschoolers have poor social skills and dont know how to make friends.

Answer 1

what u might wanna try doing is getting a job. that's an easy way to meet new ppl. u can branch out from there. make a couple of friends on the job, then the dominos will begin to fall. you'll start going out with them, maybe eventually meeting some of their friends who might become your friends as well, and then you'll have a nice bubble of friends.

Answer 2

Join clubs.  Look around for sports teams if you like them.

Like art? look for art classes

Do you go to church? if they have a youth ministry, get involved with that. that really helped me.

If you feel really confident, then theres no problem in going up to someone and introducing yourself.  

Go up to people that look approachable.

Answer 3

Well you just have to be open to meeting a lot of different people. Making friends isn't always easy. You say people that are around are just on vacation and you get left but you could befriend someone who is local and then a month later they end up moving away. That is just life.

One idea to meet new people who aren't just on vacation is to go to stores and shops and meet people who work there holding jobs probably means they live there. But hey if you meet someone who you click with and they aren't local don't give up on them, who knows you might keep running into them.

I was also homeschooled for a few years and I was antisocial. So I can guess how you feel. But don't blame it on that just focus on being a friendly person and you will make friends fast.

Answer 4

Go to google and search "homeschool teens park days" and your town's name.  Join clubs, and volunteer.  You have to put some effort into it,  My homeschooled twelve year old is teaching Tai Kwan Do, where she made several friends.  She has also made friends from park days and just riding her bike around the neighborhood.  I recommend you read The Teenage Liberation Handbook.  Now get moving!

Answer 5

try sports. Until i hit college I did team sports in all seasons. OR maybe there's a homeschool group near you that has half decent people.

Answer 6

If you put as much effort into trying to make friends as you have made excuses on your social lacking you would have a social life.  In all my years involved with home schooling I have never met a home schooler who had poor social skills and did not know how to make friends.  You have to be willing to make the effort.

Answer 7

um, it's not exactly hard to do... Especially in a crouded place like Orlando. Sure, the attractions are filled with tourists, but there are more residential areas. (I live in Florida as well and go to orlando fairly often for one reason or another). Look for Orange County's Parks and Recreation website on Google and find out what clubs, sports, events, classes, and activities are going on in your area. There's bound to be pleanty. Get involved in something you're interested in and get to know other people you find there. Their age doesn't really matter. That's the great thing about homeschooling. You're not hypnotized into believing that if you're say.. 15 then it's some crime to have something in common with and hang out with a 12 or 13-year old, or a 17-year old or whatever. Also, in the state of Florida, the public schools are required by law to allow homeschoolers to participate in their extracurricular activities... Marching band, cheerleading,  clubs, sports teams, academic or math team, etc. Mention this to your parents and then to someone at a local public school and get involved there. You'll meet lots of people. Get involved in a homeschool group. I KNOW there is a homeschool co-op, or at least a support group in Orlando. Do a google search and contact someone in charge to find out how to get involved. These groups usually have outings, feild trips, clubs and teams of their own, volunteer projects, group classes, dances, some have prom and graduation, and just tons of opportunities to meet and socialize with other homeschoolers. It's good for parents as well to get help with curriculum shopping, creative lesson ideas, and just general support. You can also get involved in the community. Volunteer at a local animal shelter, hospital, good will, salvation army, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, etc. You'll surely make friends with coworkers over time, and possibly even with people you just encounter on the job if you're personable and outgoing. If you want something more exciting, take up a volunteer or internship sort of job at one of the parks. I know Disney takes volunteers at their parks and sometimes even has camps and programs throughout the year that you could either volunteer at or participate in to make friends. Some of the waterparks may offer lifeguard classes where you could meet other people around your age. Aquariums and museums are also great places to get involved and meet people both local and from out of town. You are not isolated unless you choose to be.

Answer 8

Join any local social clubs sporting clubs or find a hobby that brings you into contact with people your own age

Answer 9

First, you have to scrap that boyfriend of yours. I know it can be hard at that age (regardless of where you have been schooled) to let go of something that seems to be good, but this boyfriend of yours doesn't sound that dedicated to you and honestly, is a bit of a jerk. He didn't do anything with you for homecoming--hanging out with HIS friends instead--and then wants your undivided attention when you're with him. THIS IS NOT A GOOD SIGN. Please trust me on this. Don't stay with him just because you feel good or loved or whatever. He's not as caring as you think he is. His actions show him to be rather self-centered.

As for making friends, you live in Orlando, which means you're in a big place with other homeschoolers. There are probably tons of activities going on! Just find out about the groups (and have your parents find out about them, too, because they'd be the ones who'd have to join the group):

http://www.ohed.org/

http://www.fpea.com

Florida Home Educators (FHE)

P.O. Box 677523, Orlando, FL 32867-7523

Contact: Daisy Meeker

Phone/Fax: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

An inclusive, Christian-based homeschool support group, FHE offers a huge variety of activities, field trips, annual testing and evaluations.

This is a co-op you could join, where you'd be with other kids once or twice a week:

Homeschool Cooperative Educating in Central Florida (HCECF)

Serving the Orange, Lake & Seminole Counties

Contact: Denny

Email: [e-mail]

http://www.hcecf.net

HCECF is an inclusive and eclectic group of home educating families in the Orlando area, working together for weekly co-ops, fun educational fieldtrips, sports/PE days, faires, etc. for a diverse age group while maintaining and supporting the individual educational choices each family has made.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HomeEducat...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/life-cf/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Love2Learn...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/midflhomes...

http://www.positivewordsforparents.com/h...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/volusiahom...

"how do you meet people like im not just gonna walk up and be like hey whats your name? thats weird. yes this proves once again homeschoolers have poor social skills and dont know how to make friends."

That doesn't prove that you have poor social skills. Why not? Because "normal" people don't just walk up to any old person and ask them their name. Truly. To meet people, you have to first be some place where there are people to meet. Through the homeschooled groups I listed, there will be activities going on that you can attend. Just showing up will enable you to meet people. As the newcomer, the onus is really on the others to introduce themselves to you. THEY would be the ones to ask your name because you'd be new. If they don't do that, then you introduce yourself. You'd see what they were doing first, have some questions prepared to ask, like, "So, what kinds of things do you guys do with this group? How do you like it? What other activities do you guys do? I'm really trying to find more things to do." And don't worry that you are learning this as a homeschooler at your age--I wasn't able to do that until I was in my mid-20's and I attended public school. :)

ADDED: I'm not sure why all the people you meet are on vacation. You said you have friends where you live and you never get to see them. Well, DO SOMETHING about that. Arrange something for when they're not on vacation. Ask your mom if you can host a pizza and movie night at your place with your local friends. Invite your boyfriend but if he's going to be self-centered and possessive (yes, that's what it is when a guy wants only you to be with him) and doesn't want your other friends there, then that's his problem. "Well, that's a shame. I guess we'll have fun without you."

Answer 10

join a rec. soccer or a different sports team

Answer 11

You should find a local support group. I'm sure there are other homeschoolers in your area. What state do you live in? In Texas homeschooling is widely accepted. The local support group in Harris County, Texas has over 1000 homeschooling families living in a 160 sq mile area. Homeschooling children are not deprived socially. That is an old myth that people hang on to in their ignorance.

Answer 12

It sounds like one of your problems is your so-called boyfriend.  Honey, if he's that controlling NOW, you're in for a very, very rough life.

It's not weird to go up and introduce yourself to someone.  It's NORMAL!!!!!

You need to join a HS group, a high school HS co-op, take classes (they aren't all expensive) at museums, get a volunteer position someplace, on and on.  Who says all your friends have to be the same age as you?  You can make good friends working with young kids at a hospital,  or make adult friends volunteering at the Red Cross (I started there at 14).  What about working for a local tourist attraction?

HS'ing is NOT your problem, it's your "poor social skills" otherwise.  It's also your attitude.

My son is almost 10, not a sophomore.  He was at his community track club end of season party last night mixing and mingling *better* than the public/private school kids.

It sounds like your parents aren't very involved.  I think you first need to sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with them.  Your next move should be to ditch the boyfriend.  He's no friend.