Friendship
Everybody knows how important
friendships are to a teen. What many people don't realize,
however, is how complicated and confusing teen friendships can be.
Why do all of my friendships seem to
be changing?
Your friendships are changing because
you and all of your friends are changing. The teenage years are a
time of physical, emotional, and social growth and change. These
changes don't happen at the same time, or at the same speed, from
one person to the next.
Is there anything I can do to keep
from losing my friends ?
You might not have to end old
friendships, but the relationships may need to change. You may
find that you don't have as much in common as you used to. It's
important to pay attention to your feelings, and to know what you
enjoy doing. If your friends seem to be spending more time in
activities that you don't enjoy, you may be happier finding some
new friends who share your interests.
What can I do to try to keep a
friendship alive?
There are a few things you can do to
try to keep a friend even though you and your friend seem to be
growing apart. You can try to talk to your friend about your
feelings, letting your friend know that he or she is still
important to you, even though your interests are changing. You
might try out something that your friend has become interested in,
or invite your old friend to share a new interest of yours. If
there are one or two activities that you both still like to do,
maybe you can plan to get together once in a while to enjoy them,
even though you may spend more and more time apart.
How do I know when it's time to give
up on a friendship?
It's not easy to lose someone who has
been an important part of your life. But if you're feeling really
uncomfortable with your friend, or if you feel like your friend is
putting pressure on you to do things that you don't want to do, or
doesn't treat you with respect, or makes you feel bad about
yourself, then it's probably time to move on. Trust your feelings.
I don't feel the same about my old
friends, but I don't want to end up alone and bored. What can I
do?
As you find yourself growing away
from old friends, you'll want to make some new friends who share
your interests. Some great ways to make new friends are by
checking out clubs and after school activities, getting involved in
sports, music, dance, or fitness classes, or becoming a volunteer.
If you take part in activities that interest you, you are sure to
meet people who you'll have things in common with.
Sometimes I wish things could just go
back to how they used to be.
Change is hard, and you're probably
dealing with more change during your teenage years than you faced
as a child or will face as an adult. The good news is that it will
get easier. The most important thing is to focus on being
yourself, even as you seem to change from one day to the next. You
might find it helpful to talk to an adult such as a parent,
relative, teacher, or counselor, because, after all, every adult
was a teenager at some point in his or her life, so they may
remember what you're going through and be able to help you get
through the tough times |