Putting yourself out there to make new friends can feel scary or overwhelming.
It’s a totally normal feeling! But you gotta keep trying, because you never know when or where you might make a new friend.
See how these six friendships started out — and how they stayed close through challenges.
“We got into a petty competition the first time we met, and we wanted nothing to do with each other…”
…Vanessa remembers about her first interactions with Ming.
Fast forward two years when Vanessa was surprised to find Ming sitting across from her in class. What happened next? Tap on the image to find out.
“He could make me laugh at things that weren’t remotely funny.”
Veena and her best friend first met through mutual friends in middle school, and she remembers non-stop laughter as a key to their friendship from the start.
“He made my day better. He made me momentarily feel like I really belonged. Like I was a part of something.”
After they had a conflict in their friend group, Veena and her friend tried to understand and respect each other’s differences. It made their friendship stronger in the process.
“Better communication was what we needed. We talked and cleared up the misunderstandings. After that, we agreed to be more honest with each other.
“And in the end — we laughed about it.”
“We started out as teammates…”
Being new to a school can feel overwhelming. Discovering a shared interest can spark a connection.
Amelia and Emily first met through their soccer team when Amelia moved to Colorado. Their friendship wasn’t immediate but grew over time. They shared exciting experiences on and off the field, learning more about and supporting each other.
“When Emily had to go into quarantine for a while, I sent her books and chocolate, and we exchanged letters so she wouldn’t feel lonely.”
Watch a collage of Amelia and Emily’s favorite friendship moments!
“He was nice to my family, but he didn't even give me a glance!” Selah remembered about first meeting her best friend.
Now, she laughs at the memory — because she hangs out with Baloo every day. He is the perfect friend to talk to and snuggle when Selah feels sad or alone.
Did we mention that Baloo is Selah’s dog? Sometimes, you can find comfort and connection in furry friends, too. And they can help you build that confidence to keep making connections to human friends.
“He is my best friend and any time I need to talk to someone he is always there to listen.”
Raven met her longtime friend Erin on a class field trip in preschool. 15 years later, they’re starting college — and are still friends!
Raven recently made a video collage of their friendship through the years. During the pandemic when Raven and Erin both felt isolated and lonely, they sent music to each other to keep their spirits up.
“You never know how a friendship will start — and how long it can last!” Raven said.
