When you’re hanging out with friends, make an extra effort and smile and have fun so people know you enjoy your time in school. Even when you’re alone in the halls, smile at people and give off a positive vibe so that people want to get to know you. A smile invites people in and lets them know that they’re free to walk past without having to engage in conversation.
You could be the guy who is always spotted with a guitar – and who actually knows how to play it. You could have a really great laugh that people can hear from anywhere in the building. You could stand out for your knockout sense of fashion. You could also rock a unique style, like looking like a hipster chick or a rocker guy, so that everyone knows who you are. Maybe you have a really low, throaty voice that sounds completely unique. Whatever your quirks are, don’t try to hide them. Remember that you want to be noticed for what makes you special.
You could be the guy who is always spotted with a guitar – and who actually knows how to play it. You could have a really great laugh that people can hear from anywhere in the building. You could stand out for your knockout sense of fashion. You could also rock a unique style, like looking like a hipster chick or a rocker guy, so that everyone knows who you are. Maybe you have a really low, throaty voice that sounds completely unique. Whatever your quirks are, don’t try to hide them. Remember that you want to be noticed for what makes you special.
You may not end up liking the sport or sticking to it. But if you spend at least a year of middle school pursuing a sport, you’ll be more likely to make friends and open up your social circle. Playing a sport also teaches you teamwork and how to deal with a variety of different talents and personalities, which can also help you manage people in your daily life and gain the skills that can help you become more popular.
Don’t think it’s uncool or nerdy to join a club. You’re just getting a leg up on the people who will be joining clubs in high school when they realize it is cool to be involved. Joining a club and playing a sport, if you have time for it, will be a great way to meet an even larger variety of people. You may not meet the same people in clubs that you’ll meet on your sports team.
If you only pursue one interest, you’ll only be surrounded by one type of person. The key to truly being popular is being able to please a variety of different people.
Make sure you don’t come off like a know-it-all when you speak. Be respectful and open-minded when you answer the teacher.
Any time you see someone you know and they don’t seem busy, say hi and give that person a big smile or a wave. You don’t have to have a ton in common to be nice to someone. It’s not cool to be a jerk to someone like the girls on “Mean Girls. ” That look may work in a movie, but you’ll get burned long-term if you have a nasty attitude. Treat people with kindness and respect. Be nice to people and do them favors “just because,” not because you think it’ll make them invite you to their birthday parties.
Any time you see someone you know and they don’t seem busy, say hi and give that person a big smile or a wave. You don’t have to have a ton in common to be nice to someone. It’s not cool to be a jerk to someone like the girls on “Mean Girls. ” That look may work in a movie, but you’ll get burned long-term if you have a nasty attitude. Treat people with kindness and respect. Be nice to people and do them favors “just because,” not because you think it’ll make them invite you to their birthday parties.
When you’re talking to people, make sure you ask questions like, “Are you having a good day?” or “Do you have any fun plans for this weekend?” so they know that you actually care about what goes on in their lives. Work on listening just as much as you talk. If you spend all of your time talking about yourself and all of the cool things you’ve been up to, people will quickly lose interest. You should also ask people their opinions on a variety of subjects, from the cookies in the school cafeteria to which club you should join. Asking for an opinion shows that you care and value their opinion. Don’t be afraid to have deep conversations, too! If someone’s having a rough day, offer them a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on.
You don’t have to be best friends with everyone, but you should seek out the people who interest you and who can teach you something without being too obvious about it.
Notice when people laugh the most when you talk to them. Make a mental note of what you did to make them laugh and try something similar again later.
Nobody’s perfect. If people see that you can poke fun at yourself during an ordinary conversation, they’ll appreciate you even more. If you can’t laugh at yourself and are so sensitive that you can’t even take jokes when other people tease you, then people will assume that you’re no fun. And no one wants to be friends with a dud.
Girls shouldn’t wear makeup just because that’s what their friends are doing if that’s not really what they want to do. Natural beauty is far more impressive than beauty that’s concocted with eye shadow and lip gloss.
Have confident body language. Stand tall, keep your shoulders out instead of hunching over, and look straight ahead instead of staring at the floor. Make eye contact when you talk to people. This will show them that you’re not afraid of social interaction. Don’t put yourself down. Being self-deprecating just to get attention or just for something to talk about will make other people think that you don’t value yourself.
Don’t dress like everyone else just to fit in. Find a style that suits your personality. You don’t have to like the same music as everyone else to be popular, either. You’ll be more respected if you take the time to find music that you really appreciate and share it with others. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion in class even if it doesn’t fit in with what everyone else is thinking. Your unique mind will make people notice you.
Being good at something will not only make people notice you, but it will build your character. If you immerse yourself in something that you really care about, you’ll be less likely to care what people think, and more likely to make new friends in the process. Excelling at something will also make you a more dynamic person and more fun to talk to, so people will like you even more if you can talk about something that you love doing – as long as you don’t brag.
If you recognize that you’re not the only person who is feeling insecure or wondering what everyone thinks of you, you’ll be much less likely to care. Focus on doing the things that make you happy instead of worrying about whether or not people will laugh at you for doing them! If you spend your life doing whatever you think will make other people like you more, you’ll never be satisfied. When you walk into a room, stand tall and proud instead of checking your reflection every two seconds, fidgeting with your clothes, and wondering what people think of your appearance. Remember - just because someone is older than you doesn’t mean that they have to be nicer. Practicing kindness and compassion at a young age will help to make you a well-respected person by friends and adults alike. In particular, you can always talk to those who are being bullied and help them feel better by including them and being a friend.
In fact, there’s a lot of research out there that says it’s the unpopular kids in middle school that are the successful adults. If you don’t consider yourself popular, realize that it’s only going to get better from here – while the rest of the popular kids you know are already at their peak. [3] X Research source
