FEELING LEFT OUT

Middle school and high school can get tricky when it comes to friends sometimes. I can assure you that everyone has felt excluded or left out at some point in her life! It doesn't feel good. My advice? Be yourself, talk about your feelings, and don't dwell.

The most important thing to do when you’re feeling left out or down is to talk about your feelings. Start by talking with your mom or a sister or even a school counselor. Your family will always give the best advice about what they think you should do, and they usually know from past experience. When I was having trouble with my friend group and feeling left out in middle school & high school, I knew I could always go to my mom for the best advice. She would make me feel better and give me suggestions to what I should say/do. Being the oldest kid in my family, I didn't have any older siblings to ask for help. However, I love to be able to help my younger siblings whenever they are feeling sad or feeling left out by some friends. I tell my siblings that it happens to everyone, and to keep their heads high. Another way to feel better about being left out is to talk to the person leaving you out. It may be hard at first, but don't be afraid to ask what is wrong and if something happened. Maybe something happened that you were unaware of, or maybe someone is feeling sad herself and is just taking it out in a bad way. Don't be nervous to talk to them! Confrontation is very effective. Lastly, if you're every feeling down and don't feel ready to talk to someone about it/just want to keep things personal, write down what you are feeling in a journal. I love to write, and writing helps me de-stress. Whether it's a poem, story, or a journal entry, writing can help you feel better. 

If you are feeling left out, don’t dwell. Go out and branch out. Try new things because you may be surprised about the new experiences you'll have. If you are feeling down and excluded, sign up for a painting or dance class that you've always wanted to try. Maybe join a club after school that you don't know much about, or pick up a new sport. Every time you try something new, you're put into a new crowd and meet new people. If you're doing an activity that interests you, you will meet new people who share the same interests, and now you have things in common. 

Although being the bigger person can be hard when you are feeling down, it is important to take the high road at all times. If you feel like one of your friends is being distant and exclusive, play nice. At the end of the day, you want to reflect and be happy on your actions and decisions you made. By being the bigger person, you will be the nicer one of the two. It may be hard but stay confident. “THINK POSITIVE AND POSITIVE THINGS WILL HAPPEN.”

Middle School and High school comes with many obstacles that don't always have a definite answer. My advice? Be yourself and keep your head high and everything will surely fall into place.