Middle School Advice for a Newbie?

[Karina Duchess]

I am going into Middle School this fall, and I am really nervous. I am 5'2 (tall for my age, I know) and I have brownish-blondish-reddish wavy shoulder length hair, a few not-so-noticable freckles, average nose, green-gray-blue eyes, and very pale skin that I am trying to tan this summer.

I want advice on the following:
1. Fashion and Making Friends. As for fashion, I especially want first-day-of-school outfit ideas, and I am working on my Aber, Aero, and Hollister closets. I consider myself in-the-middle popular, and all my friends and I are going to the same school.
NOTE: I am not willing to dye my hair or get an artificial tan.
2. Schoolwork and organization advice. I am not so organized.
3. What I should take for an extracurricular. I take Irish Dance, Piano, and Basketball currently, but Basketball is only for 7th and 8th graders. I don't know what extracurriculars my school has.
4. General Advice you think I should know. How to react to teasing/bullying, being offered a cigarette or drugs or beer or something, or stuff like that. Also any other stuff you think I should know.
5. Your everyday little snippits of middle school life. I don't want your best days, they'll make my expectations too high, but not your worst days, or I'll have a few sleepless nights headed my way.
6. (Girls Only) Guy advice! I have this guy I like. I'm pretty sure he likes me back. Is it appropriate for me to ask him out in sixth grade, should he, or should we not date so early at all? What should I do if he asks me to dance (I cannot dance, period. Slowdance, maybe. But I can't, otherwise.) Is it appropriate to flirt in 6th grade?

Sorry this is so long!

 

[Elektra Nephele]

The best advice I can give is to not take things too seriously.

1. Wear what you want. It really doesn't make a difference. Your clothes don't define you.
For friends, just be nice. Don't try to act "cool" or whatever. I know it sounds lame, but trust me. Trying to be "cool" gets you nowhere.
2. Just get a system that works and stick to it. I like to organize papers for school by putting everything into folders by subject.
3. Just take what interests you. Don't worry if none of your friends are joining that particular activity, you'll still have fun and will probably make some great new friends.
4. Very important: DON'T get involved in drama. It might seem interesting or exciting, but it's not. It just makes everything complicated. There will be people who try to start drama. Just try to stay neutral most of the time. If you absolutely can't, don't waste your time with that person. They'll just make your life hard. There will also be people who use middle school to try out different personalities. This is normal, but sometimes they just become impossible to deal with. If this happens, you have to let them go. Don't hang around with people that make you miserable.
Also, I already mentioned this, but don't try to change to fit in. It really gets you nowhere.
There is bullying, but I never thought anyone had a huge problem with it. If it happens, I know you've heard this before, but just ignore it. They will just get bored eventually. Don't let it affect you. If a friend is bullying you, just stop hanging around with them. Don't worry about finding new friends, it will be easy enough. Don't be around people that make you miserable.
5. I mostly remember hanging around with my friends and goofing off. Some drama, but I dealt with it. I probably could have done it better, but I survived.
6. You can flirt, but nothing too much. Don't do things faster than you're ready. Dating? Just see how it turns out. If you do end up dating though, middle school relationships are silly and not serious at all. I mean, people try to take it seriously, but it really doesn't mean anything. If he asks you to dance and you want to, just go with it.

Most of all, don't get involved in drama, know that people change, and don't take anything too seriously.

Hope this helped. Email me if you want to ask me anything
Good luck in middle school!

 

[Danielle]

1) wear what you like and what makes you comfortable, you don't need to wear what everyone else is and you don't need a lot of makeup it looks weird on kids that young
2) get a big 3 inch binder and use folders to organize it by class, this has helped me A LOT because you have everything you need in one place
3) just take what you like don't put other people and their opinion of you over your own interests
4) i don;t think you should have a huge problem with bullying and especially in 6th grade I don't think that you will get a lot of drug, cigarette, or alcohol offers but if you have any problems with this just talk to your parents or the guidance counselor
5) everyone has different experiences, it all depends on your school and the kids at your school but I have had a pretty good middle school experience, it definitely has its ups and downs
6) Umm since your only like 11 or 12 I think it's kind of to early for dating and that it causes to much unnecessary drama but if you're comfortable with it I guess you can give it a try

Just be yourself and you don't have to be exactly like everyone else since middle school is a pretty awkward stage of your life, don't stress about every little thing and worry about wearing the "right" clothes or the "right" makeup and hairstyles just do what makes you comfortable

Good Luck!!!