You could do this at school. It is especially helpful when you have mutual friends with this person, and you find yourself all in a group together. If you find yourself at a party, you can introduce yourself so that both of you have someone to talk to. Introduce yourself if you are assigned to work on a project together or to complete a task together.
“Do you have any brothers and sisters? How many?” “What do you like to do in your free time?” “What sports do you play?" " Do you like cooking?" “What are your hobbies?” “Have you always lived in this area?” “What is your favorite type of music/band/artist?” “Do you like to read? What is your favorite book?”
Friendship is a two-way street, so it is important for both of you to feel that you know each other well in order to build a good friendship. Keep the talking balanced. When you do answer questions, try to take a similar amount of time as your acquaintance did so that you avoid talking more than them.
Keep the chat light and upbeat, talking about things you have in common or things you want to know about each other. Redirect the conversation if it gets too personal: “I’m not comfortable talking about that right now. Have you ever been to a concert?” Excuse yourself from the conversation or redirect it if you begin discussing a controversial topic: “I understand that we both have our own beliefs about this, but let’s talk about something more fun for now. ”
As you cross paths with your acquaintance on different occasions, like in school or at the mall, take the the opportunity to get to know a little more about them. You could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to get to know your new acquaintance. It does not need to happen immediately or in just a few short hours.
Phone number for calling and/or text messaging Kik username for messaging without sharing your phone number Email address Social media profiles, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Reflect on your own personality and determine what your strengths and weaknesses are in being a friend. Create a goal to improve one of your friendship weaknesses to help you become a better friend. For example, maybe you sometimes forget to respond to your friends’ text messages, so you could make a goal to respond within a few hours every time.
Show your quirky habits. Maybe they do the same things! Share your sense of humor and tell jokes that you think are funny. Share your hobbies and interests, even if others think they are “weird. ” Your friend might be interested in them, too!
Go to the movies Go to an arcade Go shopping Invite your friend over for dinner Invite your friend to play at your house Invite your friend over to play board or video games Join in a neighborhood game, like soccer or basketball
Be sure to show genuine excitement for your friend. They will likely be able to tell if you are not sincerely happy for them, which will damage the friendship. If you also made an attempt at the same thing (for example, you also applied to get into a certain program) but did not succeed, avoid being jealous of your friend. This is unhealthy and will not allow your friendship to grow.
Follow through when those times arise. For example, if your friend gets into an argument with a sibling or another friend, make sure you help them through that. Be reliable for your friend. A big aspect of a successful friendship is reliability, so if you tell your friend that they can rely on you to always be there, then you need to prove that.
When your friend asks your opinion on something, give it politely and honestly. Share your perspective in a polite, friendly way. Avoid keeping secrets from your friend whenever possible, especially if the secrets are about him/her.
Be reliable and dependable. Be honest. Be yourself. Support your friend. Include your friend. Celebrate your friend’s accomplishments. Help your friend when they need it.
Suggesting another opportunity to hang out proves to your friend that you do want to spend time with them and that you like doing so.
Apologize when you need to do so. If you are in the wrong, then it is important to take responsibility for your actions. Offer ideas for how you and your friend can fix the problem instead of expecting them to fix it.
Try to understand why this issue bothers or upsets them. What about it is upsetting? Do not brush it off if it is something that does not bother you. Instead, try to talk your friend through it and come up with strategies for dealing with the situation.
Even if you or your friend moves away, it is possible to maintain a good friendship. Keep in contact when you can and show your friend that you respect their needs. Let your friend know that you are still there for them, even while space is needed. Understand that you and your friend do not need to spend time together every day. You both have your own lives, schedules, and obligations.
Always be honest and open with your friend so that they have no reason not to trust you. Talk through problems with your friend and come to a resolution so that you can continue to trust them. Share your feelings and dreams with your friend. This is something that lets them know that you have trust, because you chose to confide in them. Forgive your friend’s mistakes. Holding grudges is emotionally unhealthy and will not allow your friendship to blossom into a good one. [10] X Research source
