I'm tired of being picked on... How can I gain confidence and friends?

Sorry, the person above is me. I forgot to change my tag back.

1. Tattoo

2. UFC/MMA t-shirt

3. Fauxhawk

I will add too that you shouldn't be so hard on yourself.

You're new in town and everyone has history and you don't play a team sport, the easiest way to make friends a gain social status in high school. That's tough. Don't assume you are super flawed or something. There are practical realities making it hard for you to make friends. Deal with this with practical solutions. Like I said, clubs or more formal activities will get you around people. Give more info and people here can give better solutions. Lots of people before you have been through similar situations.

Join some clubs, my man. Chess club, Math club, speech and debate, even if you suck at them. Who cares. Also, they're usually chaperoned by a teacher so it's safer environment, bully-wise.

ok good details.

lesson #1:be more enthusiastic about stuff. You write a list - it would be much more interesting if you picked 3 things and gave some enthusiastic detail about why you like them - be passionate.

When I need to hire someone - which is sort of what you want to do - make friends - I immediately pick up when the applicant is enthusiastic and passionate. Those are appealing characteristics.

So you have the running - when you get healthy that should be the #1 friend focus since you are with those guys every day. One good tactic with honors english is that you are reading books - that is always a great conversation starter. Guy is reading the same book you are - natural ice breaker. Maybe even read ahead or go online to get interesting facts about the writer or the book, and use that as a starter. Do some advance work.

For example - guy/girl says something interesting in class. You have been doing some extra research, and after class say 'man, I wish I had said that - I was just reading about x or y or whatever."

Read this book:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People

Thanks, agip, and everyone else. This is some good advice, but I think I might come off as a stalker or homo or something if I say "man, I wish I had said that" and try to talk to dudes about what there reading.

Maybe it would work better with girs though.

You are right, don't say you "wished you said" anything, sounds pretty h-mo indeed.

Trying extra hard to make friends just looks pathetic, rather be yourself and you will make friends naturally...ya know, the normal way(some of these responses telling you what to do are just terrible).

Just be yourself and don't take shit from anyone. You don't have to turn into a prick but no one is forcing you to sit there and take shit. *See quick responses at end of my other post

Be vocal and assertive and you will be just fine. Once you are aware that the social structure in HS has nothing to do with real-life skills, or with being a "cool" person, then you will be free to laugh away and probably will turn out to be the popular one anyways...since you will be yourself.

Big city? Suburbs? Rural area? ---- I don't have any new suggestions but wondering. Also what sort of place did you come from? How was your social scene at the previous location? Siblings?

Let me reiterate what somebody else hinted at ---there are probably several plain Jane types or different looking girls. They may very well turn into super hotties in the next year or so, work on those girls. Forget the Barbie types.

'One d!ckhead makes a point to make fun of my acne almost everyday'

Start by shutting this twat up 'my spots will go but you will be stuckwith that ugly face forever' say it with a smile as though you don't want to smash his face in

Get into some other club or activity.

Even if you are shy and not confident act like you are, did the trick for me but you really need to develop an attitude of not caring what people think. Even Bruce Lee used to get scared, he would be going into some big fight and would just say to himself 'walk on Bruce'

Dining area is a crap place, get in a corner and even if on your are on your own you will watching them. Dont forget when you walk in there, put a bit of a confident strut in your walk and say to yourself 'walk on xxxxx'

You will find some friends, join some other clubs. Just find the one with the best looking girls!

...and most importantly keep up the running!

You need to find a nice girl and do it regularly. There is no confidence boost like sex. Don't be picky. Find a nice quiet one if you have to. Be romantic. You need to get with girls while you're young and get good at sex. This will get you out of your shell.

Find some other hobbies too. I would have liked to have gotten into rock climbing when I was younger. People who do this sport are pretty cool and fit. Find a climbing gym near you.

Whatever you do, don't get into fights. I punched a guy who called me shy. Getting into fights is not a mature response.