Dear counsellor,

Kindly advise me on how to make friends at school. It is my second term now at my new school, but there no one yet I can call a friend. It is very discouraging. Please help

Yours Fredrick

Friendships can take a while to develop, especially at a new school where you find challenges integrating into an absolutely new environment. However, there are a variety of opportunities you can exploit to meet new friends, if you stay positive and avoiding negative self-thoughts about who should be your friend. Being approachable is an excellent way of showing friendship potentials.

Start off with simple acquaintances and ultimately establish a wide range of social network, especially with the most focused and motivated classmates with unique talents, knowledge and ideas to be shared and even boost your academic performance.

Remember most people are pretty warm to new-comers and there are many other students who are as eager to find new friends as you. Just trust your intuition and launch straight into the friendship making process with passion and have as much fun as you did in your old school. Just be yourself and don’t pretend to over strain your personality to fit into the new environment.

People appreciate authenticity and will naturally gravitate towards you. Join sports, clubs, school-band and after-school activities to get actively involved and find friends with similar interests. However, you should be cautious to avoid unhealthy friendships associated with drugs, criminal gangs, low achieving friends and immorally ruined associates.

Put on decent wears to appear smart and approachable for this is a first nonverbal public introduction which bears a great significance regarding dignity and self respect. If you find someone that has things in common with you, Strike up a conversation, smile, compliment them, and introduce yourself. Remember to be as kind and as helpful as possible!

This way, you will build a strong network of friends that will be of great benefit socially and academically both in school and for tremendous future connections.

YOUR: DEBATE

Eugene Gasigwa, journalist

It’s obvious, that friends can’t find you in your comfort zone; you need to take a step forward moreover when you are new at that school. In my opinion, consider joining some extracurricular activities available, most especially those that match with your interests. Such activities will help you to bond with your fellow students, thus paving a way for several friendships.

Sandra Mulisa, student

Consider joining study groups in your class. I believe that academic revision groups are not only effective for excellence in academics, but also other important life values such as friendship. It gives you an opportunity to share your experiences with colleagues, and that’s where majority students pick the interest to consider friendship.

Praise Mutesi, salesperson

Try and remove your helmet; you might be the kind that is shy, proud or even selfish sometimes. Be flexible enough to join the rest of your fellow students in activities they’re engaged in, and also embrace introducing yourself to others. With that you will pave away for your friends to find interest in you.

Ronald Rutagengwa, salesperson

Try your best to be the friend you want to have. Some students fail to find friends mainly because they are not approachable or are too timid to express themselves. Every student wishes to befriend a person who is lively, charming and outgoing. Try to be welcoming and your fellow students will find you friendly.

By Dennis Agaba