Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Starting a new school or college can bring up lots of different feelings. It can be a great opportunity to make a fresh start. But it can also leave you feeling a bit scared.

Making new friends is something that takes time. Sometimes you can put a lot of pressure on yourself to meet people straight away, but it’s important to remember that even if it doesn’t happen on the first day or the first week, it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to. Friendships start because of things people have in common. This can be something like your taste in music or the films you like.

When you’ve been bullied in the past, it can sometimes feel scary sharing things about yourself. One of the hardest parts of bullying can be trying to build your confidence afterwards.

Being bullied is never your fault. When it’s happened to you before it can be easy to think that you might have done something wrong. But that’s never the case.

Building up your confidence takes time, but it can help you in lots of different ways. It can make it easier to make friends. Confidence can also help you give you a chance to react differently if anyone does try to bully you again. We have a really good video on building your confidence after online bullying - have a look because that could help.

Starting a new school can be a really good opportunity to try new things, feel less anxious and be more confident. Sometimes building your confidence can be as simple as trying something different. That could be styling your hair differently, wearing different your clothes or even taking up a new hobby.

Giving yourself little changes can help you to feel better about yourself and even make it easier to approach people.

Remember that ChildLine can support you. You can share ideas and experiences on the message boards, or come on and speak to a counsellor about what it’s been like for you.

Take care,
Sam