Firstly know that people, including yourself, change over time. I was also quite a different person in high-school to who i am now. It's hard but i try not to get all antsy in making people from my past realise this... instead i just try to relax and remember that it's not all about me

I find that the best way to make friends is to foster a deep interest in people. One barrier I had as a teenager was my self-centredness. I was very intro-spective. Popular people generally have a strong interest in others. My nearly 15yo DD has shown me this. She is hugely popular... and you know what... she also spends her life wanting to know what everyone is up to!!! It drives me nuts sometimes and often i wonder "why does she care???" but this is just how she is. She is like her dad this way. I took longer to cotton on. I don't have hundreds of friends but i do feel confident that I am able to meet and make them on a regular basis. Some of the best friends are made through common interest groups (like BB) and by studying or working together. I can't wait to return to study because it will mean i get to meet some people who i can talk to about more than kids! Having kids is a big friend-maker in itself (especially when they start school) but I'm looking forward to meeting a broader, even childless, cross section of society. The older I get the more I realise that everyone has a story... it's really fascinating teasing it out of them IYKWIM