How To Make American Friends At School

Tips from “Actual” ETC Students!

1. Introduce yourself to your new teachers as an exchange student and have them introduce you to your classes.
2. Ask another student in your class about homework.
3. Make other students happy and ask them to hang out – “Let’s go to a movie or go skateboarding!”
4. Ask another student if you did not understand what your teacher has said (your classmates are usually so kind!) Do not be afraid to ask!
5. Introduce yourself by saying, “I am an exchange student!”
6. Always talk to other students because if you are quiet, they may think you do not want to talk.
7. Eat lunch at the same table a few times and the teens sitting there will start talking to you.
8. Shake Hands like American teenagers!      
9. Join a sports team.
10. Join a club.
11. Say hello, be friendly, ask for help, joke with them, and SMILE!
12. Lose yourself! Try to talk about anything and forget the English you learned in the past… just talk!
13. Ask the other students any question to start conversations. They are kind and will teach you!
14. Say nice things about your new friends, everybody likes that!
15. Register for fun classes and you will meet fun people!
16. Don’t wait for other teenagers to come to you- Go to them.
17. Talk about your country
18. Be funny, talkative, easy going and don’t be shy!
19. You should always smile!