The 15 Things You Should Never Do When Making A New Friend

The best part about making friends is that they can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Whether you're a preteen or a fourth-grader; whether you play sports, draw pictures, or are completely uninterested in playing them; whether you're a boy or a girl, you're bound to find someone who shares your interests. And even if your friend doesn't have the same passions as you do, that doesn't mean it's not worth being friends with them anyway.

Making a new friend takes time, effort, and patience. As you get to know your new friend better, it will be easier for you to start thinking about getting to know one another's interests and friends. Here are 15 things that you should never do when making a new friend:

1. Try to be like the other person.

You'll never become close friends with someone if you aren't yourself in the process, and trying to act like someone else is only going to make things awkward between you. You'll probably end up feeling like you're faking it, and your friend might even feel that way too! So, just be yourself and have fun while making a new friend.

2. Dismiss gossip, rumors, and other people's opinions.

When you're trying to make a new friend, it's important to know what people are saying about you and your new friend. Rumors may be false, but they can still have an effect on your friendship. So don't dismiss what you hear; just keep your ears open when you're making new friends. You don't want to end up getting hurt or hurting others in the process of making friends!

3. Talk about someone behind their back.

Talk about your friends to your new friends, but never talk behind their backs; it's rude and you could end up hurting your friendship by doing so. If you want to talk about some of their flaws or problems, then speak with them about it first rather than sharing what you heard with them—it's the same concept! Besides, you'll have plenty of time to get to know one another outside of group situations.

4. Be rude or disrespectful to people you care about.

Always remember that the people you care about—no matter whether you're close with them or not—are important to your future friendships; and if your friends clearly don't like someone, then it's probably a good idea to give that person a wide berth. You'll never become close friends with someone if they don't like your friends! So, while making new friends, be sure not to be rude or disrespectful to anyone else around you because that could hurt your relationship in the long run.

5. Talk about yourself a lot during group time.

Talk about yourself when you're hanging out with any group of people, but don't talk about yourself too much. It's nice to have someone else there who also wants to talk about themselves, but it's not as fun or natural if you have someone who constantly talks about themselves—it can make them self-centered and makes others feel excluded. So, if you want to share about yourself, then be sure to ask questions about others as well!

6. Keep listening to gossip and rumors.

Worrying about rumors and gossip is a waste of time and energy; you're only setting yourself up for more problems. If the people in your group talk about the people you are trying to get close with, then ask them for the truth, if they are willing to give it, then great! But if they will only fill your head with negative information or false stories, don't listen to them. It's better to ask what their intentions are than to stress yourself out with gossip that may or may not be true.

7. Keep secrets from your new friend.

Secrets can only cause trouble and make it harder for you to get close to one another; so if you do have a secret that you're hiding from your new friend, then tell them about it! You might be surprised at how much they care about the truth and how much they will want to help you out. Plus, keeping secrets means lying, which is something that no one should ever do! So let your new friend in on your secrets—they just might make a difference in how good of friends you two become in the future.

8. Don't be afraid to ask your new friend if they want to be friends.

When one of your new friends tells you that they want to be friends with you, then be sure to ask them if they would like to become close friends. If the answer is negative, then please don't push them—it's better not to make a friend you can't trust than for it to get awkward later on and for your relationship with them not to grow at all! If their answer is positive, then great! It's time for you two to begin making new memories together.

9. Drop by without warning—it will hurt their feelings.

It's important to always follow through with plans, whether you made them in person or over the phone. So, if you have a plan to go to someone's house and that person doesn't know it, then do your best to follow through on your plans. After all, it will be rather rude if you suddenly take off for someone else's house without telling them first. And if they say no to the plan altogether, then just let it go; it's not like they've never said no before!

10. Bring up problems that aren't yours only because they are happening in your life at the time.

Be honest with your new friend and share the problems you are dealing with that are not being experienced by them. This can help them relate to you more, and they will likely want to help you out in any way they can. Plus, if they're going through something similar, then it can make their lives a bit easier! Sharing negative things will only make your friendship stronger.

11. Sit around and talk about life with no specific goal other than making friends.

Awkward silences are the worst because they make you feel like you're wasting time while people look at each other and stare awkwardly at something that has nothing to do with the current activities of a group gathering. So, if you're visiting with a friend and have run out of things to talk about, then be sure to ask your new friend something that will help the two of you bond better!

12. Don't try and make up for your mistakes in the past when it comes to friendships.

Forgive one another and move on; don't keep bringing old arguments or problems up again because that's a sure way to create more problems! Instead, cheer each other up by sharing funny stories or just enjoying the moment in time together. Friends should always make an effort to get along; there may be times when you disagree on something, but don't let those differences bring you down.

13. Let your friend know when you don't want to talk to them.

It can be pretty hard when you are having a disagreement with someone and they constantly try to get you to talk about it. If you have a friend that is trying to push you too hard and they keep doing it, then simply let them know that they're pushing too far that's the best way to diffuse an argument or discussion. There's no need for confrontation!

14. Be friends with people who are fake and only want your friendship for an ulterior motive.

If your friends are in a group together and everyone just wants to be friends with you because they think you have great connections, then it's a good idea to be cautious of who you become friends with. Friends should always be there for one another, not use one another or try to get something from their friendships. If a person or group of people is trying to manipulate you, then don't hesitate to tell them off; it's better for an argument like that to happen now than for the friendship not to last in the long run!

15. Be friends with someone who doesn't want anything in return.

People who truly want to be friends with you will make an effort to show it, especially if you are new to the friendship. If a friend doesn't return the same kindness and offers in return, then that's not a bad sign and should mean that they're just being nice because they wanted to be your friend. But if they do offer you something, then do what they ask, is it fair of them to ask for one thing and then not give anything in return? No!

Finally

If you want to make new friends with people who care about you and want to see your friendship grow, then be sure to follow these simple tips. It will make the entire process easier and a lot more fun! And when you do become friends, be sure to listen to and support each other in all of your goals, wishes, and dreams! Your friendship will benefit from it for the long haul!