"Beep", the lunch bell has just rung on the first day of middle school, you walk into the cafeteria and the first thing that comes to your mind is, "Where do I sit!" As you look up from your lunch tray eyeing the cafeteria for an empty seat, wishing you had someone to sit with, everyone looks up at you like a pack of animals wondering where you'll lay your tray down. In that moment you wish you just had a couple friends to sit with, but you don't know how to start finding any? Joining a cub or extracurricular activity is the perfect way to do that! When you first decide you want to join a club it might be scary because you don't know anyone or which one to choose so you can fit in, but soon enough you could be meeting your closest friends. Whether it's sports, debate, or yearbook you have so many options to find the perfect club that is right for you or try something completely new.

When I was new to middle school, I didn't know many people because I had moved her from Florida the summer before seventh grade. I tried new ways to meet new people by sitting with a certain group of girls at lunch or being in their book club group for class, but none of those ideas worked. My last hope was to join a club! That was the best decision I could have made. There was so many options to choose from but I enjoyed photography and art which made me think to try the yearbook club. The first day there wasn't many people there which I most likely could have expected but I kept going every week. About three weeks in, more people showed up including the group of girls I wanted to be friends with! My heart skipped a beat! I was so happy to see them walk in the door and hopefully be able to get there attention so they would invite me to sit and work with them. After a few minutes of pretend coughing, one of the girls; Generic_Name came over to me and asked if I wanted to join them. It was in that moment I knew we were going to be friends. If I didn't persevere and keep going to the yearbook club meetings and put my venerable seventh grade self out there, I wouldn't have met the amazing group of girls that are now my best friends.

Trust me, I can understand how scary it can be to be the new kid trying to make friends, especially in middle school, but I am here to tell you that you just have to be brave and put yourself out there for people to get to know. That is why I think it's a great idea for everyone to have to join a club. Everyone is in the same boat as you, trying to fit in. Joining extracurricular activities can help with that and expand your understanding and liking of certain hobbies. For example, you could try the soccer club, then realize it's your favorite sport and you want to pursue that hobby. So being apart of a club can not only help you meet new people, but you can find a passion of who you want to be.