It's difficult when you're the "new kid on the block." Maybe you've moved from a different city or state. Maybe you've just moved across town but now go to a new school.

Or, maybe you'd just like to branch out and make new friends. Whatever your reason, here are some tips to help you get started.

• Smile. When someone smiles at you, doesn't it make you want to smile back? Without saying a word, a smile makes others feel good, and people want to be around others who make them feel good.
  
• Pay genuine compliments. Don't you feel good when someone says they like something about you?
  
• Take a genuine interest in others. Ask people questions about themselves and really listen. Ask open-ended questions instead of ones with yes/no answers.
  
  You could ask a person about his or her hobbies or where an individual got such a cool-looking jacket, for example.
  
• Remember people's names and use them whenever you see them. People like the sound of their own name and it conveys that you care enough to remember.

Making new friends isn't always easy, and sometimes it's downright scary. But if you'll make the effort, you'll be pleased with the results. Who knows?

Maybe you'll make a friend who will be a true friend for life.

Source: Make Your Day Count For Teens by Lindsay Roberts
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers