From Cooties to Cool

Here are some common issues my friends and I encountered.

When you enter middle school things begin to change:

From "boys have cooties" or "girls are no fun" to "does he like me or not?" and "am I cool enough for her?"
From "best friends" to "enemies" and back again.

But some things never change. I'm in middle school, and want to share some of my personal experiences—and other things as well!

Here are some common issues my friends and I encountered.

Popularity

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Be the kind of person you wish others would be.

When you start middle school—or any school—you naturally want to be popular. But, what does popular mean?

Here's a lesson I learned: being popular can mean a variety of things. It's not what it sometimes appears to be, like dating the cutest boys in school or treating some people like dirt.

You look forward to being popular, but is it worth being disliked for acting like what you think you should act like, rather than just being yourself?

The answer is "no." Kids that act that way aren't popular. Instead, they're actually disliked!

Friends

Here's the truth: People judge people no matter what. They will talk behind your back until the day you die. You can't change that. So what can you do? Aerial and Maya

Real friends aren't attracted by a fake personality.

Don't do it yourself! And don't worry about those who do: They aren't your real friends.

Real friends aren't attracted by a fake personality. They like you for who you are. If you want to change something about yourself, they'll encourage you, but they won't try to change you.

What about the kids you want to be friends with, but they don't seem to like you? If you're being true about who you are, and they don't like you, they aren't the friends for you.

Be yourself even if you feel nobody likes you, because there is someone out there who is bound to like something about you.

Keep reading to learn about how so-called friends can put the squeeze on you to act a certain way. It's called peer pressure...

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