Summarize:

The more anxious or uncertain you seem, the more likely you are to attract negative attention. Be positive! Freshmen are more likely to worry about how they’re perceived, so if you hold yourself like you don’t have a care in the world it will become much harder and less rewarding to try to pick on you. Don’t let unkind remarks phase you. After all, they’re just words.  Wake up every day with the goal of making a new friend, learning something useful or finding a way to succeed. Going to school shouldn’t have to be something you dread. Take this opportunity to make the most of your new circumstances. Remember: no one has the final say on the way you feel but you. Feeling out of place as a new student in high school can be discouraging, but it doesn’t have to be. You’re the only one in charge of your attitude. Despite the age gap that exists between you and students of other grades, you all actually have a lot in common: you go to the same school, you’re forced to take the same kinds of classes and you all have your own individual interests. Be mindful of this kinship when trying to form friendships with new people. It shouldn’t matter what grade you’re in if you find joy in the same things.  Take note of the things the other students around you like and play up on these similarities. If you notice that another student has a certain band sticker on his or her notebook, for example, strike up a conversation about music and your favorite bands. Everyone feels more or less on their own in high school. Highlighting the things you have in common with your classmates will help break down the walls that keep people from becoming friends. While it’s true that you have a lot to learn when you first start high school, being a freshman shouldn’t be an ingrained part of your identity. You’re an individual first. Be comfortable being yourself and you’ll attract other comfortable people who want to get to know you. They may not even realize you’re a freshman if you don’t feel obligated to play the meek “new kid on the block” role. Figure out solutions to novel problems yourself rather than always asking for help. Becoming more capable will give you a confidence boost, as well as keep you from looking like a helpless freshman. Why not? Become friends with anyone who you like that interests you,  no matter what grade they might be in. If you make friends with older students as an underclassman, they might introduce you to their own friends, which will help you develop a reputation as a “cool” freshman. After that, being a couple grades younger won’t seem like such an issue anymore.  If you have an older sibling that attends the same school, see if they’d be willing to introduce you to some of the upperclassmen friends. That way, you’ll have someone to help you find your way around, show you the ropes and shield you from ridicule from the older kids. Students of different grade levels often wind up taking the same classes together in high school. Get to know some these older students so that you don’t feel confined to only being friends with other freshmen.
Keep an upbeat attitude. Try to relate to your classmates. Don’t advertise that you’re a freshman. Make older friends.