LIFE

Have you ever had the feeling your friend group was leaving you out? Do they schedule hang-outs without you, or do you find yourself missing out on juicy gossip and inside jokes? Here are some *major* signs that your squad might be ghosting you.

You're left out of the group chat

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How to spot it: You see your squad going out without you. You find yourself saying, "Hey, I don't remember hearing about this" more times than you can count. When you see all your besties glued to their phones laughing, it's safe to say you're probably missing out.

What to do about it: Give them the benefit of the doubt at first—it *is* possible that they left you off accidentally, so start a new chat with everyone included. Hopefully, you'll start to see the texts pouring in quickly, but if it's still radio silent, you'll have to address them face-to-face. 

They stop texting you back

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How to spot it: Text convos that used to last hours into the night turn into one-word replies. You used to send jokes, memes and *super* embarrassing pics... and now nothing? What's up with that?

What to do about it: Take a step back and think about the bigger picture. Are your friends super busy lately? Are they swamped with homework? Sometimes when we think we're being ignored, people are actually just overwhelmed with other things. Try to schedule some face-to-face time next weekend where you can all reconnect. 

They have nothing nice to say

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How to spot it: Your friends don't talk to you as much, but when they do it's always a jab at you. Maybe they say you aren't funny or that you wear the *weirdest* clothes. Even when it seems like they're saying something nice, it feels fake.

What to do about it: Whatever you do, don't stoop to their level. You're better than that! If your friends' attitudes toward you are starting to resemble outright bullying, be honest with an adult about the situation. 

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The bottom line is, if anything feels off with your squad, try talking about it with them. You'll probably get the best reaction if you talk to them each one-on-one where you can really be honest about your feelings. Sometimes people don't realize how their actions make us feel until we tell them! But if you've been vocal about your concerns and nothing's changing, it's probably time to find new friends. You can join a new club at school, start texting that sweet girl from your soccer team—you'll find your tribe, trust us. 

Have you ever been ghosted by a friend? Let us know in the comments!

by Taylor Dove | 2/12/2020