NEW SCHOOL, new me! It’s a phrase almost everyone says before coming to high school. One of the biggest problems people face is going to a new school and expecting everyone to love them. Gaining a lot of friends and having a large audience to admire opinions and acknowledge academics sounds amazing to most people. A big problem, however, is what people do to get to this spot in their lives.

“Having quality friends is definitely more important than quantity,” Adam Hender (‘18) said.

Using Photoshop to make fabricated selfies for Facebook likes, stealing jokes from comedians, and bringing food to class to gain friends are unhealthy methods to gain followers. Having the newest Jordans seems appealing to a lot of people, and some might say it’s a great way to gain friends. Wearing something someone else does and copying something a rapper does can be spotted pretty quick, as well.

“If you copy someone’s style, it shows how insecure you might be and how much you don’t like yourself,” Aidan Flannery (11) said. The easiest way to have a good year at Granger is to put popularity last on the priority list. Things like being nice, payingcompliments, and telling jokes are easy ways to gain friends.

“Don’t try to stay the same. You will change, just be open to it, but if you’re going to be a jerk, try to take some open criticism. You should try to be yourself, unless you suck, then try to be better,” Hender said.

The best thing about high school and the unknown is the many surprises out there. A person may go to high school to learn about history or math, but the best part about high school is learning about the people.