Don’t chat about unrelated topics with a friend during class, as that will hinder your concentration and make it harder to get work done.
Hire a tutor or tell a teacher to help you if you’re struggling in academics. Tell a counselor or a trusted adult at your school if you are struggling. No matter the issue, from bullying to abuse to peer pressure and breakups, a counselor at your school can usually assist you.
This way, you don’t have to awkwardly walk around, trying to find a seat to sit in.
For example, do not pretend like you are a hardcore basketball fan, as the real basketball fans sitting next to you will find out. Ask the people questions if you have nothing in common with them. Ask them open-ended questions to keep the conversation going.
Talk about school, popular culture, or life updates.
Sit near the exit of the cafeteria or auditorium if you can. If you ever need to take a break from the chatter, you can leave easily this way. After you’ve left the stressful environment, take some time to practice mindfulness, meditate in the bathroom, or take a walk around the school to calm yourself down. [1] X Research source If you feel overwhelmed, try to stim or fidget. These can be short-term relief. Tap your feet, repeat a certain word or phrase, bounce in your chair, or play with a stim toy. Pack a bland lunch if you’re over-sensitive to smell and taste and pack a strong-tasting lunch if you’re under-sensitive. If you get cafeteria food, request for the school to offer a wider variety of options instead of all very bland or very strong-tasting food. Talk to your school administrators for special accommodations for kids like you with sensory processing difficulties or conditions such as autism or ADHD. Provide comfortable chairs, allow kids to use headphones to block out noise, and eliminate buzzing or flickering lights. [2] X Trustworthy Source Child Mind Institute Nonprofit organization providing evidence-based care for children with mental health and learning disorders and their families Go to source
Keep a balance between talking with friends and eating. Some people are able to scarf down a whole meal quickly to spend the rest of lunch chit-chatting, but most are unable to do that. Some people spend the whole time on eating, and some talk the whole time while forgetting that their lunch is on the table. Take a few bites of food, swallow them, and then talk for a minute or two. Figure out why you have a lack of hunger. Did you eat a large breakfast or snack during the break? Are you bloated, have constipation, or have a stomachache? Are period cramps ruining your appetite? Do you have a lot of stress recently? Once you have found out why you have a lack of hunger, find ways to solve it. Eat less breakfast or pack a smaller snack. Before going to school, eat foods that do not cause bloating, constipation, or other stomach distress. Eliminate the causes of stress by not procrastinating and asking for help if you need it. If you have bad period cramps, stick on an adhesive heating pad or take pain medication. If you have braces, it can be difficult to eat fast enough. Your mouth may be sore or have a lot of pain, making you not finish fast enough. Use dental wax or silicone wax to cover up sharp spots, eat soft foods, and take pain medication for your braces.
Ask your parents if you can pack your own lunch. If you do not know how to cook using the stove, prepare easy meals such as a sandwich. If you are older (around 9), you may want to start using the microwave to warm up food. At around 11-14, you may want to get accustomed to kitchen appliances such as stoves, ovens, and rice cookers and how to operate them safely. If you get school food, request for the school to offer healthier food options. Many countries such as France, Spain, Greece, Taiwan, China, and Japan offer healthy school lunches. Japan’s lunches are considered the healthiest; a typical meal consists of rice, a serving of vegetables, some meat, and a small bowl of soup. [4] X Research source If you’re in the U. S. , you may find that much of your school food is not that healthy. Offer alternatives to “junk food”, such as growing vegetables in a school garden, cooking meals for everyone to eat at school (common in Asian countries), or buying school lunches from a different and healthier lunch vendor.
If you feel nervous, go to the bathroom and think of a time when you were brave. This will seem difficult if you already have low confidence. Still, even small moments such as telling the teacher when a kid stole your pencil in kindergarten and asking to borrow something in second grade are important moments when you were brave. Hum a song about being brave. Brave by Sara Bareilles and This is Me by Keala Settle (one of the songs in the movie The Greatest Showman) are songs about not making bullies affect you and not backing down if they harm you. Directly confront the bully and say, “Please stop talking rudely to people like me”, “You aren’t being a nice person by making fun of my appearance”, or “I wish you would spend time doing nicer things. Being mean to me isn’t going to help you”. If they continue to do this or progress to physical violence, tell a cafeteria worker or the principal.
