In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: These are the people you'll see and interact with every day, so becoming friends with a few of them will give you a great support network throughout the school year. If you don't know them, introduce yourself and strike up a casual conversation, and if you do already know them, ask them a question about their hobbies or family so that you can get to know them a little better.  For example, introduce yourself to a potential new friend by saying, "Hi, I'm Sam. I really like your shirt, where did you get it?" Ask someone in one of your classes if they'd like to get together to study, or if they can help you with a homework question. You can even ask to exchange contact information so that if either of you have questions about homework, tests, or projects in the class, you can reach out to one another. High school is a great place to find people and clubs that share your interests. Sign up to be in the drama club, on the school newspaper, part of the art club—any club or activity that catches your attention and you think you'd enjoy.  Other extracurricular activities might include yoga, coding, or chess club. If your high school does not have a club that caters to your interests or passions, start one of your own! If you apply to college, include your activities on your application.  This helps give admissions committees a better idea about who you are as a person. Sports are a good way to get active while also being part of a close-knit team. Choose a sport you like, such as soccer, softball, basketball, or swimming, and work hard during practice and at games to make your team (and yourself!) proud.  Track and field has many different types of events, each designed to showcase a different talent or skill set. Try out dance team, cheer leading, or volleyball. Whether you're a freshman or a senior, you can always meet new people and form new relationships. Strike up a conversation with someone in the hall, sit with someone new at lunch, or offer to partner up with someone you're not friends with for a class project. You might leave with a new friend! If you don't feel comfortable talking to a complete stranger, say hello to the person whose locker is next to yours, or compliment someone's outfit in the lunch room. Events such as school dances, sports games, and pep rallies are all an essential part of the high school experience. Even if you aren't full of school spirit, try to go to at least one school event each season—you'll likely end up making great memories.  Invite a friend or two to come along with you. Ask your friend to introduce you to people you may not already know.
Summary: Get to know the people in your classes. Become involved in extracurricular activities or clubs. Try out a sport to be part of a team. Reach out to people and make new friends. Attend school events to broaden your experiences.

Problem: Article: Two-year-olds are famous for saying “no” like it's going out of style, because they've only recently learned that such a thing is possible, and the new chances for independence it provides are fun and exciting. Two-year-olds are also known for being selfish and thoughtless. However, they're on to something: it's okay to say no. What separates adult usage of the word is that we can learn when it's appropriate and when it isn't.  Saying no when you just don't feel like doing something is okay, as long as the thing you're being asked to do won't reflect on your job or school performance. There's nothing wrong with wanting time for yourself instead. Saying no because you don't have the time to meet a commitment is okay. Others often don't realize how difficult making such a commitment would be, given your schedule; some people do know, and are only asking just in case, even though they know you'll probably decline. Saying no to a situation that makes you uncomfortable is perfectly okay. You never have to step outside your personal comfort zone to accommodate the wishes of anyone else (except, perhaps as an active-duty soldier following orders). Saying no when you're asked to buy something is okay. There are many different specific reasons a person might find it hard to say no to others, but the common thread that ties them all together is worry – worry about what the outcome will be if you say no. It's normal to worry about decisions that you make, but it's important to understand two things: first, worrying won't change what happens after you've made your choice; second, worries should never stop you from acting in your own best interests to begin with. No matter what your reason for being scared to say no, it stems from your worries about what will happen when you do. Will people still like you? Will you miss an important opportunity? Will you seem lazy, uncaring, or incompetent? Acknowledge that you don't say no because you worry, then accept the fact that worrying never helps anything, regardless of the outcome. Like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle, you're a vital part of the landscape around you – it wouldn't be complete without you in it. This applies no matter whether you're always out with friends, or you sit at home and hide all day. The fact is, no matter who you are, your presence in the social landscape is valid. Furthermore, the decisions you make have an effect on that landscape. This means you owe it to yourself and those around you to make honest decisions, for the betterment of everyone – whether they realize you're helping or not. Worrying about what will happen when you say no is symptomatic of a larger problem: worrying about the power you wield over those around you. Acknowledge that you wield that power no matter what you do or say. Though people vary in terms of personality, opinions, and attitudes, one thing they all have in common is a presence in the social landscape around them, same as you. It's an immutable fact of living in human society. Therefore, controlling and channeling your own presence in such a way as to help you be happy is really the only sensible choice there is. It's not as though you have some great and terrible reserve of influence nobody else has: if you say no, you're only exercising the same power everyone around you also has. How they react to your decision is their business, not yours. You have every right to set boundaries for yourself. After all, your friends do, and people still like them. In fact, being assertive or even aggressive about what you want won't make you hated or despised. The only thing that will make that happen is openly treating those around you as though they're inferior. Saying “no” isn't an expression of superiority; it's an expression of mutual respect. By itself, saying no isn't rude, mean, or uncaring. We attach those qualities to it when we speak in a rude, mean, or uncaring way while telling someone no. There's no reason you can't firmly decline and still be pleasant and polite; therefore, there's no reason to fear making a poor impression because you say no, as long as you're mindful of how you say it. In other words, once you understand that it really is okay to say no, the rest is just learning how to say it politely.
Summary:
Understand when to say no. Learn why it's hard to say no. Accept your power and importance. Accept that others are the same. Understand that “no” isn't cruel.