SHOULD I CHANGE WHEN I MOVE TO A NEW SCHOOL?

Today’s question comes from Madison. She asks:

Hey Nikki! Okay, so, I’m going into middle school, and my family is moving again. At the school I’m going to go to, all the kids will know each other. I was wondering if i should change my personality. You know, like sport girl, sweet girl, confident girl?

My Advice:

Hey Madison! That’s exciting you’re moving…and kind of scary I bet. I know ALL ABOUT being the new girl!!

It’s totally nerve wracking to feel like EVERYONE’S known each other since kindergarten and you don’t know anyone.

But I definitely think you shouldn’t change your personality just to make friends! I mean, if you change who you are, you won’t know who likes you for YOU and who likes you just because you’re pretending to be someone else.

I know, “Just be yourself” sounds like something a mom would say, huh? (I SO don’t want to sound like my mom!!) But hey, it’s good advice!

I’m so glad I met Chloe and Zoey, and that they like me even though I’m a MASSIVE dork! If I pretended to be something else to fit in with the CCPs, I’d be gagging on MacKenzie’s cheap perfume, laughing at her lame jokes, and feeling like a TOTAL fraud!

So my advice to you is to think about what you really want to do in middle school. Not what you think you SHOULD do. Like, don’t just try out for a sport if you’re not really feeling it. Think about the stuff that really interests you, and then go for that.

That way, you’ll make new friends who like the stuff you actually like, too.

The part about being confident…that one’s not a bad idea! I’m not always great at being confident. When I first started talking to Brandon, I felt like I was gonna hurl pretty much all the time!

But then I realized he actually really likes talking to me, so why SHOULDN’T I feel confident around him?

And I’m pretty sure that when you’re confident, other people want to be around you more. Like, I’m really confident about my art. I know I’m super talented at it!

Remember how everyone wanted a tattoo from me? That probably wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t feel confident about what I could do.

So I guess I’m saying doing your thing, whatever it is, and be confident about all your strengths and stuff. Then other kids will be drawn to you, and it WON’T be because you’re putting on some big act.

It will be because you’re being your awesome self. 🙂

Do you guys have any advice for Madison? Any tips for her to make friends in her new school or anything?