Moving Junior Year of High School and I needsome guidelines?

Welcome to Fluther! You didn’t indicate if it was your Junior year of high school or college, but I am going to guess high school. I went to high school in Japan and my dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor on Christmas Eve in my junior year. My mom brought him and my sibs back to the US, but I stayed in Japan to finish my junior year (I was class president), then moved to a neighborhood and school where I didn’t know anyone for my senior year.

I was very lucky in that I met a future classmate during the summer and so I had a ready-made friend when school started in the fall. It was a smaller school and that helped too. The other thing they did that I thought was really nice was they included all of my accomplishments from my former school in the year book so I didn’t look like someone who just showed up (if you know what I mean).

My biggest lesson in being successful happened when I moved from Ohio to Pennsylvania in 8th grade (worst year of my life), but I had a chip on my shoulder that didn’t help anything. I learned to be open-minded and to help make me the kind of person it was easy to be friends with. It helped me when I moved to Japan in 10th grade and back to the states for my senior year.

I think your attitude will completely determine your success. Everyone is a little nervous the first day of school (even if they have gone been in the system for years). Use that to your advantage and just be friendly. There will always be kids that share some of the same interests—it is just your job to find them!

If you can meet someone in the summer, it really helps to have someone you recognize the first day—even if they are in a different grade than you!

OK, it won’t be easy. You can do it. If you move in the summer, join a club or a pool or something. It will be easier to meet people.

Second, there will be other new people in the school. Look for them and introduce yourself. Again, join some after-school activities. That’s a good way to meet like-minded people.

Thicken up your skin a little. If you look for slights, you will find them.

Think of this as a preview of college when you would move away from home and have to meet all new people anyway.

I moved a thousand miles away at 17 to an entirely different culture.
Just before summer school began. I had grown up in a small town and moved to Dallas. I missed my friends Terribly and cried a lot.
I knew nobody. My clothes were so different from Dallas clothes.
I sat in the house writing letters to my best friend back home and even called her once. I was Devastated!!! But..hold on. The first day of school, after 3 mos of sadness, I met a new friend, no, I met two friends. Neither were from Dallas. We clicked immediately and hung out Constantly and double dated together.
We had more fun than I can put on here. *There will be kids your
age in some of your classes who also don’t know anyone.* Be friendly to them and you will be able to have a fantastic time!
Be yourself; don’t try to be just like the other kids and you’ll stand out. We had a “get acquainted” dance at the gym and I just rolled my eyes at how bored I’d be. I met my first boyfriend at that dance and he was a John Travolta type. You’ll be fine; just wait.
(((hugs)))

@mangotango580 Where are you moving from? How many weeks before school starts will you be moving? Does your new school have uniforms or can you wear what you want?

Meet the challenge. You will never regret having to learn how to make new friends any time or any place. This is an opportunity in disguise.

Chicago is awesome…....aquarium. art. Great shopping. You may find the man of your dreams there.

Omg you guys are all great!! Thank you so much! Thsi is gonna help me alot and i love this site!!

@mangotango580 Keep us posted. I LOVE Chicago!!!!

Since you are moving to a large city I’m assuming you will be attending a fairly large high school? You won’t be the only new student, and I’m sure there will be many others that didn’t grow up in the area. Introduce yourself to the other new students. You’ll have this in common and it gives you something to talk about.

I moved the summer of my junior year from Las Vegas, NV to a small town in central Illinois. Everyone was interested in meeting the new girl from Vegas, but after my newness wore off and my shyness set in, I found it hard to get close with the other students. The majority of the students had known each other since pre school. This always made me feel like an outsider. I doubt you will have this problem in a large city.

Chicago is a lovely city, I’m sure you’ll do just fine there. Change can be good. Enjoy your last two years of school! :)

I grew up in Chicago and there is a huge variety of everything here PM me if you seek more insight.

I find that being nice to people is the best way to fit in. But with Cubs fans, I don’t know…

@PacificToast HEY!! I heard that!!! ;)

@Cruiser XD