Back in 6th grade, I was attending a small co-ed Catholic elementary school. My parents were looking at options for private middle and high schools in the Greater Boston area. Somehow, my parents got into a conversation with someone who told them that her son graduated from Boston College High School in 2012 and cherished his four years there. My parents asked me if I would be interested in attending an all-boys Catholic high school. I immediately became excited as I soon realized the numerous advantages for boys when it comes to attending an all-boys school. So I applied, and signed up for Eagle for a Day, which was my first experience at BC High. It was amazing. I felt like I had stepped onto the best high school campus in the world.

I have been attending BC High since 7th grade. Before school starts, however, there is always an orientation for new students which is important as it helps students who are new to the school get used to the school building before school actually starts. It is also an opportunity for new students to get to know each other and make new friends. Going back to my orientation, I recall going to my locker and saying hello to my classmate whose locker was placed below mine. I could tell he was in the same situation as me. He didn’t know anyone here, and was looking for a friend, and so was I. So we sat together at lunch along with another kid in our homeroom, just the three of us. While I was excited that I already had made two friends before the first day of school, I knew one thing: that I was going to become friends with many more people.

It was Tuesday, September 8, 2015. My official first day of school at BC High had just begun. Because most students still barely knew anyone, I walked around and got to know a bunch of new classmates. Let me just tell you this: if you’re new to the school, and this also applies to future incoming and potential students, DO NOT just sit there and wait for someone to sit with you. Take the initiative, walk around and find others who have no one to sit with and go sit with them. Just because you don’t know someone yet doesn’t mean that person cannot be your friend. During my first year, I just sat with people. Different people. Lots of people. Sometimes I just sat at a random place with other students I didn’t even know. But I knew I wasn’t the popular kid yet. One day, I just bought a pizza and sat at a table where there was one seat left. A few minutes later, a kid began talking to me. He introduced himself to me, and I did the same. Soon after, I began sitting with him and his friends at lunch. This is probably why everyone started to know me through him, and I got along with a lot of kids at school who later helped me get to know more people. So halfway through the school year, I already knew more than half of my whole grade. Fast forward to freshman year, the student who originally introduced me to all his friends has since left the school and I still miss him.

Now, you might ask: How do I actually make new friends? If I’m new here? To start, boys here tend to have a great sense of humor. I asked some of my friends, and they responded with “you’re cool”, and I realized that most of the kids in my school were just that. They were cool to hang out with, have lunch with, and they were fun to get along with. It takes initiative, however, to become that type of person. You need to want to make friends, but at the same time, you need to also be aware of who is also looking for a friend. Don’t waste your time on someone who doesn’t seem to have any interest in talking to you. Which brings up the point that some people might not want to talk to you right away. Instead, find someone who is eager to talk with you. It is very obvious when someone wants to be your friend. As long as you both are interested and enthusiastic in the conversation, that is a good sign towards a positive friendship.