LIFE

Dear Carol,

I’m 11, and my life is crazy! I have to switch schools and I’m really nervous about it. I have a friend who goes to my new school, but she has a lot of friends already—and I don’t know if I’d fit in with her group. She’s really nice (and she’d probably help me meet people), but I’m still scared. Also, I don’t have a phone (so I can’t do TikTok or Snapchat or YouTube or any social media), and I only have my iPad on the weekends for an hour or two…if I’m lucky.

- Crazy Life

Dear Crazy Life,

I hope you can make the most of your new school. It’s an opportunity to start with a clean slate, and it’s helpful that you already have one friend. Be outgoing and approachable, and you’ll find your people (and, with luck, be part of more than one friend group). Sign up for whatever after-school activities interest you so you can meet fellow artists or athletes or journalists or engineers. Are there other new kids? Introduce yourself. And start school on a strong note. Sit up front and participate and keep up with the work. Some teachers make quick decisions about who’s a good student and who isn’t, so be conscientious from the get-go. This will boost your confidence too. As for devices, it may feel frustrating, but studies show girls are better off not tethered to a screen. What can you do with the extra time you have that other kids don’t? Run miles? Read novels? Learn to play music or bake pies? When you can’t change a situation, it’s good to try to reassess it or look at it through rosier glasses.

Carol Weston is the author of 16 books, including Girltalk, Ava and Pip and Speed of Life, which is a novel about a 14-year-old girl who writes to an advice columnist. Check out carolweston.com and follow her on Instagram @carolwestonnyc.

Want more life advice? Read more Dear Carol here:
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✨ "Dear Carol, I can't choose which high school to attend"
✨ "Dear Carol, I feel left out for not having a phone"

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by GL | 8/7/2024