10 Dos & Don'ts When You're The New Kid

It’s a simple fact: being the “new kid” in school is a challenge. First, you have to deal with leaving your old home and saying goodbye to old friends. Then, you have to navigate your way around a new school and make new friends. That’s not easy for a kid of any age, but when you’re in high school, it can be especially hard. Still, it’s not all bad—at least, it doesn’t have to be. As author J.C. Tilton tells us, moving to a new school “can be a great opportunity to reinvent yourself,” and that can be pretty terrific. It helps if you “take control where you can from day one,” she advises. “With a little planning, confidence, and a sense of humor, you can avoid common pitfalls and make this a smoother move.”

Tilton knows what it’s like to move around. From the time she started kindergarten to the day she received her diploma, she attended eight different schools—three elementary, two junior highs, and three senior highs. She made plenty of “new kid” mistakes … but you don’t have to. 10 Dos & Don’ts When You’re the New Kid: A survival guide for teens starting at a new school will guide you every step of the way. With chapter titles such as “DO what you (and your parents) can to make your first day easier,” “DON’T over-share,” and “DO know your audience,” Tilton’s helpful hints and insightful suggestions will ease you through those awkward first days (or sure, maybe a couple weeks) of feeling that everybody knows and likes everyone else—except you.

 Written with warmth and humor and more than a little excellent advice, 10 Dos & Don’ts When You’re the New Kid is a concise and easy-to-reference volume that will have you feeling better about your new situation from the very first page.

J.C. Tilton is a freelance writer, speaker and semi-professional re-locator. She is also the author of 10 Dos & Don’ts When You’re The New Kid, a survival guide for teens starting at a new school. She lives (for now!) in Los Angeles, CA, with her husband, two kids and one very stubborn Rottweiler.