Friendship. As defined by Merriam Webster, friendship is “the state of being friends.” Now you are probably wondering, why am I telling you the definition of friendship? 

Well, many of us have friends we’ve known since we were little kids, and we also have friends who we have just met. However, as many of us know, the COVID-19 pandemic has been ongoing since late 2019, and as a result, many have lost their lives, many have lost their jobs, and many have had to move. When moving, friendships sometimes are lost and sometimes friendships are not maintained as easily. Moving cities, states, countries in any normal year is hard enough on friendships whether it is making new friendships or maintaining old ones. During COVID-19 times though, this has posed an even harder challenge.

I have seen new students throughout all of my classes, but I am unsure of how to reach out and talk to them. Most of us would like to become friends with the new students, but we don’t know how, or we are scared of reaching out. In these unprecedented times, having a friend who understands what you are going through is one of the most important things to have, and I am sure that the new students at your school are feeling a rollercoaster of emotions because they don’t have people to talk to about school. We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected every one of us, but the only thing we can do now is to stay safe and support one another. 

In the past, school had served as a place of education and a place of friendship, but now without school, many of us are unable to meet our friends. We should realize that friendship is one of the things that make life great, and we should realize that even if we are virtual, making friends is vital and amazing. If you have seen a new face in your classroom, don’t be afraid to reach out. While making friends is much harder this year, there are many ways you can make friends safely. 

If you reach out to your teacher, they might be able to put you in contact with the student you want to become friends with. From there, you can easily reach out to that student and eventually, you can become friends. There are many ways to become friends with the new students at your school, but it is up to you to reach out. When making friends, make sure to always be kind, and always stay safe as the internet can be a scary place without all of the proper precautions. I challenge you to reach out to a new student in your class, and of course, be as safe as possible. 

Thanks for reading! Have a great day everyone!