@topaz1116 Yeah, I swam for an outside of school competitive swim team, but 1. I started late for my age, and friendships had already formed (some of these kids have known each other since 6, 7, or 8 years old) and 2. Everyone hung out with kids from their large, public schools, which made me more of an outcast. I’m doing water polo, but all of the players are much older than me, and are already friends with each other, and the same thing happens there: I try to initiate a conversation and they ignore me/don’t respond.
I feel I’m repeating myself, and I’m really sorry if it’s annoying.
@Faultystart Ah… I use to have the same problem as you and I sort of still do. I sort of have social anxiety but it has gotten a lot better ever since I’ve joined the IB Program.
When I was in junior high, I didn’t really have that much friends. I was called Ching Chong and other racist names. I just wanted to end my life and stuff. Until, I became a freshman in the Pre-IB school, I’ve learned that not all white people are ethnocentric people but some are pretty nice. I’ve met some close friends and we’ve gotten closer on Skype.
I would try meeting people online, but then again that’s me. I usually played mmorpgs in order to conceal my insecurities. It made me able to hang out with people on games and such. It feels nice to have an internet persona. nevertheless, you can still talk with us and stuff. You seem really nice and I sincerely know that feeling. That feeling of loneliness. I think you can beat it as long as you don’t give up.
Good Luck 
@Faultystart Also. What is your schedule? Just wondering
I was going back to a post where you guys were talking about chemistry. Here is what we have done. My chemistry class learned “Introduction to Chemistry”, “Matter and Change” “Scientific Measurement” “Atomic Structure” “Electrons in Atoms” “The Periodic Table” “ionic and Metallic Bonding” “Covalent Bonding” "Chemical Names and Formula
and “Nuculear Chemistry”
We just finished learning about moles, percent composition and others
English - We are writing the Crucibles and we finished The Grapes of Wraiths last quarter… There’s so many bibilicial allusions.
@Kysanx My schedule is Chemistry Honors, Algebra II Honors, English 10 Honors, Spanish III Honors, Speech (this semester), Health (this semester), and Europe and the Modern World (aka European History).
I never was called any names, just ignored. Thank you so much for your comments.
@Kysanx I think I have the same book as you- the prentice hall one with the colorful cover? I did chapters 1-11 and we are currently learning stoichiometry. My chem class is super boring cause we do so many practice problems and my teacher feels a need to explain every single problem. It’s really annoying but we are going through chapters pretty fast yet still learning the material quite thoroughly, so I try to refrain from complaining too much(even though I kinda am now lol)
lol, also, today, my school was almost put on a code red lockdown.
Or at least at least 15 policemen ended up showing up on campus
It turned out to be nothing…really
@iamnotironman On the other hand, my teacher rarely explains the practice problems we do. We use Pearson’s Chemistry textbook and some of the stuff it explains really weirdly.
@Cornbread1999 That sucks, I guess. I had a fire drill in the snow last year, and I didn’t have my jacket. It was cold
@Faultystart I feel ya. I rarely read the book unless we have hw on stuff we haven’t learned yet cause the book explains everything so badly. Like if I don’t understand something in the book, my teacher will explain it in class and I’ll feel dumb for not understanding it beforehand.
@Cornbread1999 last week, our school had a lockdown for twenty minutes third period. Apparently there was two “suspicious men” around campus.
Our chem book is the black Holt one (Modern Chemistry); I think the nonhonors classes use another, more colorful Holt one that is simply titled “Chemistry.” My chem teacher uses worksheets from the nonhonors books though; the other honors chem teacher uses AP Chem stuff -_- I really wish I had the other teacher.
Ours was for a stupid reason…in one English class there was this balloon activity where if one got something wrong, a balloon would have to be popped. There were these girls who kept screaming and some guys were yelling, and it caused a huge commotion. The students next door just assumed that something was wrong and that the popping noises and screaming resulted from gunshots (apparently, the balloons were inflated to very high pressure, so they caused an especially loud noise when popped), so they called the police. I think the teacher got in some pretty big trouble.
Aghhh I just realized I said “there was” instead of “there were”; my grammar is degrading.
I got stuck with a freaking freshman for our next MUN conference and I didn’t get onto any of the committees I wanted to be on (I actually ended up on the same one I was on last year, although it has better topics this year). She hasn’t started working on our position paper and I’m going to be gone the entire day tomorrow and the paper is due Sunday because our club is really disorganized.
I’m so screwed. I really, really want to win an award at this conference…
Haven’t posted on here for a while but semester finals are finally over! Phew, that stress though. How was your guy’s finals? :-/ Speaking of which, the new semester is coming up. New goals…does anyone have tips in studying for AP classes?
@Kysanx Does the IB program really make social anxiety better? I have selective mutism which I guess is a more severe manefestation of social anxiety. Today, some IB kids came to our English class to present on the program and one of them said they were really “awkward” before IB and that it really helped them. I’m scared to join IB because they say you do lots of discussions in English which is my least favorite part of English. Do they do that it your IB classes too?
@Calchong I agree. And I believe she knew it was her fault as well. She blatantly stated the administration would find no blame with the students because she is the one using a website instead of sitting and making her own questions. She is the teacher after all.
We are getting class schedule sign-ups on Wednesday and i AM SO NERVOUS.
@Faultystart Everything is going to be okay, I promise. Always remember, less friends=less drama and more of doing what you love without needing anyone’s approval or judgement. Don’t think you’re a loner because you don’t have a close friend/friends. The loneliest people can be those surrounded by millions of friends and have plans every weekend, but that doesn’t make anyone happy all the time. Trust me. I was alone in middle school. People couldn’t deal with me being nerdy and quiet and really introverted. They were mean girls, who thought I was a teacher’s pet. It was only seventh grade, and I was just being myself.
Now, in high school, I can’t even begin to explain how my life has changed. I began coming out of my shell and branching out and trying to be more loveable and fun, without changing who I was. I met people just like me and formed a small, tight group of friends.
But it didn’t change anything. it didn’t make my life better or worse… well sometimes, it made it worse because with the burden of social activity, there is drama and distractions. Sometimes it’s great, sometimes it makes no difference.
I’m not even trying to downgrade anything for your sake, I’m being 100% honest. I never wanted to be popular or anything–some people have that goal, and they are completely different from us. But friends or no friends–it shouldn’t make you upset or hurt you. I PROMISE, oh gosh I promise soooo much, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU. In fact, there is nothing you do that pushes anyone way. They all have their own personal problems.
I didn’t talk to anyone in middle school, yet they judged me anyway. Case in point? There’s nothing wrong with you, and you should never, ever think for even a second that you are the reason for any situation you may have.
I am sorry it is turning out that way for you. The universe works in mysterious ways, and now is apparently not the time for things to work out. I understand how you feel so much, and I understand your despair. I won’t say stop trying, but I will say don’t push yourself too hard; some things aren’t able to be put together. You have just not met the person meant for you yet. Friends are like four leaf clovers, hard to find but lucky once you do. I promise you will find one, one day, even very soon. NO ONE stays like that forever. Everything will change and when it does, you’ll realize it
But now, just take a deep breath and don’t let anyone or anything stop you or make you feel bad about yourself. You are great just the way you are, and don’t change yourself for anyone or anything. Everything is going to work out.
Sooo I have two midterms done (Chemistry and Spanish). Technically, midterms week is “supposed to be over” but two of my teachers haven’t been here in forever and so they postponed it until next week (Economics and Government), and my Algebra and Health class have regular tests next week. My stress won’t be over until next Thursday, the last day of the semester and I receive a well-earned Four Day Weekend!
@dsi411 IB really does help. I go to an IB World School and yesterday for my English midterm I had to present my written monologue to the class. Actually, every project we do in Pre-IB English there is an oral supplement to the rubric. Then again, English is my favorite subject so it’s quite easier, but still nerve-wracking nonetheless.
** In IB English 1 you have to do an Individual Oral Presentation (IOP) in front of the class which can last up to 45 minutes if done with a group. I think if you present by yourself you still have to speak for 15-20 minutes.
** In IB English 2 you have to do an Individual Oral Commentary, which is basically a one-on-one academic conversation with your teacher about a selection of books you’ve read that year.
**Those are for my schools; I don’t know if your school would have different time lengths.
@SallyStephens Thank you so much for your comment.
Finished writing this biography and now I need to edit it. At least I’m mostly done with it. But, I spent pretty much all of today on the biography.
You’re reminding me of the 600 line epic poem I have to write for Creative Writing. I’m kind of rethinking if I should have taken this instead of Spanish 4. I really don’t like my teacher so far (though it’s only been 3 days of the new semester), I’m taking two other English classes besides CW (Newspaper and English 2), and my Spanish teacher seemed really surprised and disappointed that I wasn’t taking level 4.
I dislike how much the class is centered on sharing, and I’ve realized this was just a terrible idea considering I hate being forced to write. When you force me to write, you strip the joy from an activity I used to find so liberating and fun. I’m so confused. I’m also very private about my best work (the more personal ones), so basically I have no idea what I was thinking when I signed up for this.
Sorry, I’m rambling but this 600 line EPIC POEM has me stressed.
I know this convo ended awhile ago, but I also relate to Faultystart’s feelings of being friendless and alone. I have so many acquaintances that seem to genuinely like me, but it never carries over to hanging out outside of school. I had two best friends who have sort of drifted away and found other cliques (since they both go to a different school), so I just want to agree and say you are NOT alone.
Everything seems to be going wrong. This morning, a senior at our school took his life. I just saw it on the news. It’s really sad. And to think that I had problems…
@Faultystart @iamnotironman @Cornbread1999 We use the colorful Pearson Book in my class. We’ve covered Intro to Chem, Chemical properties, Measurement, Unit Analysis, Nomenclature, Chemical Reactions, Atomic Structure, Nuclear Reactions, Quantum Mechanical Model, Periodic Table, Stoichometry, Ionic & Covalent BOnding