As the 2013-2014 school year comes to an end, we’ve said goodbye to our seniors and we know that some of our classmates have plans on moving for the new year. Whether they’re currently eighth graders going somewhere else for high school or their parents got a new job somewhere else, they’ll be going away. And with people going away, we will be welcoming new students to Horizon Honors in the new year as well.

Changing schools means so much more than just different teachers. It gives you an opportunity to make new friends or change your image if you feel like you need a fresh start – but that can be hard. You need to figure out who you want to be for that year and what types of people with whom you want to be surrounded. You then need to get to know the people at your new school and figure out who you click with.

I’ve been “the new kid” almost every year from kindergarten (I joined a new school about a month into the school year) up until sixth grade. I’ve only stayed two years in a row at three different schools, and that’s my record. Luckily, my parents promised we’d settle down last year, so my chances for staying at Horizon Honors are high. Having experienced how it feels to be the new kid, I know the anxieties all too well. It can be hard making new friends, especially if you’re shy or have a hard time talking to new people. Sometimes you try to make friends, but the people you’re trying to befriend already have their own little clique and aren’t looking for new members – you just have to have the courage to overcome that problem.

Easier said than done.

Sometimes the people you’re looking for at a new school aren’t the ones you would expect. You might find that you have more core similarities with someone who seems to be your polar opposite than someone who dresses the same as you and has all your same interests. And if not, you get a little variety with friends. Expand your horizons on people you interact with and don’t be afraid to get to know people.