How do I fit in at school when i've been home taught my whole life?

Question

I've been home taught since I was little,
And now I have to go back (now i'm sixteen) to sixth form school.

It's scary, because i'm moving house at the same time and won't have any of my friends at the school.
Any advice on how to fit in/make friends/get used to class?

Good answers please-
NO one sentence answers!

Thanks :]

Answer 1

You know, I can tell. You use capitalisation, punctuation and grammar perfectly.

First, please ignore my own age. I have many friends still in school (Years 13-10) at the moment and I can still remember my own experiences without the rose tint I'm sure settles in later.

Now, I'm going to be blunt. You will, most likely, be hated. You are smart and kids today utterly hate it. I haven't met one smart kid who wasn't in the "geek" section. Let me make it clear you are about to enter a *very* hostile world. None can be cruler than children. And depending on your school they can be Very cruel.

Here's my recommendations based on my own experiences:

1. Avoid "chavs". These are the worst of a bad lot. I hate to generalise on a fashion sense but 99.9% of the time I have been utterly correct in my first judgement that these types of people are utter wastes of space. They will also, invaribly, rule your school. Mine was an utter den when I left and has only gotten worse. Chavs are the ones who never do any work, are very disruptive and invaribly all wear the same tracksuit/sports wear set-up.

2. Make friends as fast as possible. You're going to need all the moral support you can get and nothing does that better than close friends. I don't know on your friendship style, but mine is a few, close friends. What ever it is, build it and build it fast. Ideally network as much as you can too. Get friends to introduce you to their other friends. That's how I met the people I'm still very close to now.

3. Don't play the home school card. It won't get you very far. Try and ask the teacher to just say you came from a local school where you lived. Keep the home school for the people you want as friends. Nothing creates trust and friendship like letting them in on a little secret.

4. Teachers are useless. Always. If someone starts to bully you, I wouldn't recommend teachers. It's not their fault, they're just so tied down by laws and regulations there isn't a lot they can do but have stern words with the bully. This will usually do nothing more than irritate them. Bullys are why you should make friends fast. Sure you may be the new kid, but with a few mates around you should be okay.

6. School is different for everyone. Which is essentially, enjoy it as much as you can. I know I've given a lot of advice which can paint a pretty nasty picture, but believe me, that's only because I don't think you'll need advice on how to have fun.

Hope all that helped =)

Answer 2

In all the years that you've been home-taught, have you been involved in structured group activities like Sunday School and Girl Scouts/Guides? Those should give you some idea of what the classroom environment is like. You've probably also seen films and television programs with classroom scenes, and these should also give you a fair idea of what to be pepared for. (Just don't expect it to be like Hogwarts! : ) )

Even if there's no other upheaval going on in your life right now (as the fact that you're moving to a new home and ending home-schooling at the same time might suggest), it would be a good idea to talk with the counselor at your new school, since she can probably help you with any adjustment problems you may have.

As for making friends, if your school has any after-school activities or clubs, it would be a good idea to get involved in some that appeal to you. That way you'll meet people who share your interests. I know from experience that it becomes harder to make new friends when you're too old to ask someone to come over and play, but working on projects together is a good way to get to know one another better.

Good luck!