HOL Ravenclaw

After a long day of camp activities, what’s better than sitting around the campfire, hanging out with your friends, and discussing the day’s events? You sit there soaking it all in and chiming into the conversation when you have something to say. It has been pretty easy for you to fall in with your teammates here at camp, and to think you were feeling nervous about whether or not they would even like you! It all seems quite silly now.

You look around the circle and notice someone sitting quietly and keeping to themselves. This same person, you remember, has been kind of hanging around on the edges of the group most of the time. You decide to go over and say hello.

“Hello,” you say. “I don’t think we’ve properly met. Are you having fun here at camp?”

“Well, yes, the activities have been quite fun,” they say. “I do seem to be having a bit of trouble making any friends, though. How do you do it? I see you talking to everyone, and you even came over here to talk to me! And we don’t know each other at all! I don’t know anyone here and I’m incredibly nervous. Do you have any advice on how to make friends with some of our teammates here?”

Hmm, well you’ve never really thought about it! What is a good way of going about making friends? After all, getting to know your teammates and making new friends is pretty important at camp!

Task: Complete this cryptogram to get some advice from the Harry Potter universe on making friends, then send your answer to both me and Prof. Sindor Aloyarc in a private message.

Alternatively, give your best advice on making new friends in 100 words or more.

This task is worth 10 beans, with 10 additional beans available if all Week Three activities are completed. Everything is due by 11:59 pm HOL time on August 31st.

Making friends is quite easy, really. Openness is a trait, but even if we are not open-minded (which is normal), all we need to do is just hold any disrespect in. That is the best way to make people feel at ease and open up. That really is my best tip, but there is a lot more to it. Let me put them in a few points below:
1. You must express your opinion and be yourself, to lay a solid foundation for a very quick friendship. If not, they won't know you well, and if they don't know you well, that creates the loophole that makes way for future disagreements, and future misunderstandings. So yeah, basically, you don't have to pretend.
2. My next tip would be to let them talk. Everyone likes to talk about themselves and being a good listener, and preferably an understanding, non-judgemental, compassionate one, makes people warm up to us easily. They feel at ease to open up and we create a safe space where they want to come back again and yet again.
3. My next tip would be to give them space. We let them go when they want to and we let them come back when they want to. That makes them free from any shackles and bonds and they do not see us as a burden or responsibility, just a safe space they can return to after the whole world tires them in a positive way.
4. My next tip would be to be up for adventure and fun as long as we have asked the necessary questions. Once we know the why behind the activity or task they are planning/proposing, being open to trying it even if we are apprehensive or being open to doing it even if we don't like it, makes them feel even more free to be themselves with us and allows us to try something different once in a while, thus infusing a healthy dose of fun. But yeah, making sure of the 'why' behind the task is always important.
5. My last and most important tip would be the power of manifestation. If we keep thinking that nobody likes us and nobody wants to be friends with us, we will keep ourselves stuck in a cycle of self - hate that we don't want. We have to tell ourselves instead that everybody is nervous and as unique as us, and we simply CAN get along with anybody we want. Changing our belief system and changing the content of our thoughts to "I am likeable and wanted" works wonders, and magnetically attracts friends to us by manifesting friendship.

("But overall", I smile at the sweet girl in front of me, "with that devilishly pretty smile of yours, you would win hearts any day, so I don't understand why you won't be able to make friends. Maybe you just need to test out what I just said?")

I would say that making new friends can be a lot easier when you keep things simple and authentic right from the start. Begin by putting yourself out there, in places where you are likely to meet people with similar interests, it could be a hobby group, a class, or even a casual hangout spot like a park or café.

Next, be open and approachable. Sometimes, a friendly smile or a casual “Hello!” or “How are you?” can lead to a great conversation.

Don’t be afraid to show genuine interest in others. Ask questions, listen, and of course, share a bit about yourself. Friendships often tend to grow from shared experiences, like having the same or similar hobbies, life goals, professions, etc. So try new things together.

Lastly, be patient. Building strong connections takes time, but it’s totally worth it!

Interacting with new friends isn't that difficult. It’s important to remember not to fear rejection or worry that you might not be a fun friend. Be bold and approach your new friend to introduce yourself. Don’t wait for them to make the first move. Find common interests to discuss and use those as conversation starters. Be open but still cautious about personal boundaries. Make an effort to be a good listener and try to be responsive to their thoughts and feelings. Don’t just talk about yourself all the time; ensure that the conversation flows both ways. And lastly, always be yourself and let your genuine personality shine through.

I am perhaps not the best person to give anyone advice on how to make friends; it’s really not my strong suit. From time to time, however, I have met with a modicum of success, so I’ll do what I can to offer tips that have proven to work for me in the past.

A smile truly does go a long way. Plus, it makes you feel good, which is an added bonus. A smile makes you approachable and open to conversation, and also gives you time to think about a conversation opener. So yeah, Rule #1 is…SMILE.

Now that you’ve made the effort to get someone’s attention and smile, let’s try some conversation. Again, it doesn’t have to be some grand recitation about your life; a simple “How are you?” Is a good start. Another trick I’ve learned is to pick one thing to compliment the person on; everyone likes to get compliments. “I love that blouse!” “That is such a pretty ring!” You get the point.

Most importantly; be yourself! It does little good to either yourself or a prospective friend to introduce a persona instead of the authentic ‘you’. Start small and work from there. And for Merlin’s sake, don’t over share when you first meet someone! They don’t care (or need to know) that your boyfriend/girlfriend just left you, your folks are mad at you for bad grades, or you have a secret desire to quit school and travel around the country with the fair, and all before they know your name!

Anyway, hope that helps .

I don't think I'm really the right person to give advice. I don't have many friends. But here's what worked for me!

The key is to be genuine. People are drawn to authenticity and can tell when someone's faking enthusiasm when meeting for the first time.

Start by showing interest in others. Ask questions about their hobbies, passions, and experiences. Listening actively is just as important as talking. Share your own stories too, but remember to keep a balance and don't try to one-up them.

Don’t be afraid to be the one who initiates, sometimes, all it takes is a simple 'hello' to start something wonderful. Be patient, stay positive, and let it happen!