Dear sam i have just left y6 and i am finding it very hard to cope with the fact that i couldnt see my friends and i dont know anyone else at my high school. please write back
Hi there,
Starting something new can be both scary and exciting at the same time. It can also make you feel sad because you may have to leave something else behind before you start and that might mean saying goodbye to some people.
Going from primary to secondary school is a big change - there are lots of new people, new routines and different work to get used to. It’s comforting to have a familiar friend from primary school who can be with you and to support each other. This is often not possible though as everyone goes their separate ways to start their new chapter and this can be scary.
If you're worried about what it might be like to make new friends all over again, try to think back about what it was like starting primary school - or other times where you might have been in an unfamiliar place with new people. At primary school, you might have made friends that you didn’t know before. Starting secondary school is an opportunity to make new friends - and these might be people you know for longer than your friends at primary school.
Saying goodbye now doesn't mean it's forever. There’re lots of ways to keep in touch and although school makes up a lot of your time now, it won't always. You'll be able to see people outside of school and carry on being friends with them. It might take a little more effort but if you’re close then it's worth making the extra time to see them.
I hope this has helped but if you ever want to talk more about how starting high school is making you feel, our counsellors are there for you. Other young people on our message boards can also tell you about their own experience, which might help you to know what to expect.
Thanks for writing to me, take care.
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
