Well, firstly sometimes it’s not the number of friends you have, but the quality of friendship that counts. The thing about friends and relationships is that there are so many different people in the world and you will always find that you get on with some people better than others – but really close friends are hard to find and deserve attention and care. If you decide that you want to make some more friends, here are a few ideas:
- Finding people with similar hobbies and interests is a good start because you already know you will have something to talk about!
- Accept people as they are. You can like other people even if you don't agree with everything they say or do.
- Be a good listener so that others can tell that you are really interested in what they are saying. Ask them questions about themselves, but don’t pressure them to answer if they don’t want.
- Get to know people well by sharing 'safe' thoughts with them first. What is a safe thought? It might be something about school or TV or your favourite footy team. It isn't always safe to tell someone you don't know very personal things about yourself, like things you might be worried about or afraid of.
- You don't have to know about or have an opinion on everything - in fact it is often better if you don't 😊
- Expect things to work out the way you would like in your friendship. Expect respect and make sure you give it too – that means not pressuring others, no manipulation or abuse, supporting your friends’ interests and other friendships.
- Don't be a gossip or tell tales… "She said… and I don't think she likes… and she doesn't want to be your friend." Sounds familiar?
If you're lucky the person you meet may become a regular friend or even, after a long time, a best friend.
Among Us can be super fun to play. It’s obviously full of lying and betrayal so it's important that everyone playing understands that those things are part of the game but not great in real life! 😊
It’s also important to remember when playing games with a chat function that there could be cyberbullying or chat that isn’t suitable for young people. A good way to keep yourself safe is to play private games with people that you know, and to report anything that is not appropriate in the chat screen.
To report a player who is acting inappropriately, open up chat, click the ‘Kick’ menu, select the player you want to report, and click the Report button.
You can also use the new ‘Quick Chat Only’ and ‘Censor Chat’ filter to keep the game a safer place for yourself.
~ Sarah
We are really sorry you feel so sad. Emotions happen to everyone and can be very overwhelming at times. If these feelings are starting to affect your day to day life and you stop doing your normal activities or hobbies, it is important to talk to someone like a Guidance Officer, a parent, teacher, chaplain or other trusted adult friend. Or ring Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, where you can talk to someone a bit more specifically about what is going on for you that may be causing you to feel so sad. They also have information on their website specifically about this question. Check it out here.
One really important thing to keep in mind is that very sad, overwhelming feelings tend to come and go in waves, so if you feel very bad you will likely feel better in the future. It can be helpful to remember that and keep it in your mind, even if it doesn’t feel that way right now. We are glad that you reached out and asked about this, and hope that you do find some more help and support.
Breaking up is hard for both people, whether you’re doing the breaking up or the one being broken up with. The most important thing is to be respectful, try to put yourself in their shoes (e.g. if you wouldn’t like to find out you're being dumped by a text message, then don’t do it that way). Try to make sure they are the first person to find out – one of the worst things is finding out through a friend or a social media update. Make sure you have time to talk in private (it can be rather upsetting/embarrassing to be dumped in front of other people) and sometimes it may help if you plan what you want to say and what you don’t need to say. Try not to make personal or insulting comments about the person, and try to keep the conversation short and focused, rather than getting into arguments about details or who did what and when. Relationship break ups can be tough and sad for both involved so it’s important that you have some support as well.
