School

What do I do about a bully?
Do not fight back. This will encourage the bully to bother you more and get you in trouble at school. People who are bullies pick on people that are afraid of them. Ignoring the bully and acting like you are not afraid will frustrate the bully and make them go away. Another solution is talking your way out of situations. However, this will only work with some bullies. If the bully starts getting violent or physical, the best thing to do is tell someone. You may feel like you are tattling but if you don't the bully could really hurt you. Telling a parent or a teacher can help. If the bullying is happening at school it will also alert the school about the bully to make sure they don't bother other kids. Try not to be alone at times you may run into the bully. The bully is less likely to start something if you have friends with you. Hopefully the bully will get bored and move on to someone else, but you should still someone anytime you feel threatened.

How do I prepare for graduation?
The first thing to do is decide what you would like to do after graduation. There are many options such as going to college, attending a community college, or jumping into a job. Although it seems like a hard decision, it is something you must decide on your own or with your family. This is the first major decision you must make as an adult. It is natural to be afraid of going out into the real world. During senior year it is important to go to your guidance counselors. They can help you register for SATs, look for jobs, or fill out college applications. Emotionally it is hard to think about how things will change after graduation. It is important to spend time with your friends and family and let them know how much they mean to you, especially if you decide to go away to college. After people graduate it is hard to keep up with friends because everyone is doing their own thing. Building close bonds during your senior year is the best way to ensure lasting friendships.

How do I become popular?
Everyone is different. It is important not to change who you are to make others happy. In elementary and middle school it is hard to fit in sometimes. However, when you get to high school there are different clubs and groups of friends to choose from. You need to look at your own values and decide what you are looking for in a friend. Try to find people with the same interests or in the same classes. As long as you are happy that is all that matters. Although you may think you want to be a part of the "cool" crowd, they may not like to do the same kind of things you do. Peer pressure is another issue a lot of kids face in school. It may be hard, but if you don't want to do something say no. Do not give in and do something you know is wrong just to impress someone, you may regret it later. Be nice to people and people will be nice to you in return. Hang out with people who understand you and respect your ideas, not the ones who get all of the attention because sometimes that attention isn't good.

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