I have 2 neighbors that I've been friends with for a long time. I'm a girl, 15, and they're both guys, 2 yrs younger than me, if that matters. Anyway, we used to always play outside together or play vido games at each other's houses a lot. About 2 years ago, due to personal family issues, I wasn't around very much for a long time, and I havn't really seen either of them at all. For a long time if I saw one of them on the bus or something, we'd just say "hi" and that's it. For the most part they ignore me. All the family stuff is cleared up now, but since school's out, I still havn't had a chance to talk to them. I want to still be friends with them, but what am I supposed to do? Do I just call them and ask if they want to come over like I would have two years ago as if nothing's happened? Do I tell them I feel like I've been ignored? Please help me, and sorry this was so long!
Hrcoole answered Thursday July 27 2006, 1:54 am: Go to their house, ask if they want to hang out. and go from there. don't use the phone, it is better to renew friendships in person. [ Hrcoole's advice column | Ask Hrcoole A Question ]
Xenolan answered Wednesday July 26 2006, 6:33 pm: Something has happened, and it'll be difficult to pretend it didn't. That something is puberty.
If I read you right, the last time you hung out with these guys, they were eleven years old. Now they're thirteen. That may be only two years, but they are two VERY BIG years. You will now be dealing with guys who notice things like breasts. You are a girl, two years older than they are, having progressed a little further into the Strange New World than they have. Believe me, they are seeing you in a whole new light.
This is NOT saying that you can't be friends with them, but be aware that the dynamic has changed.
I think you might just approach one or both of them and say, "Do you guys ever feel like hanging out, you know, like we used to?" Explain, if they don't already know, why you've been out of touch (they don't need to know all the details if they are personal and/or private, but they probably deserve some explanation insofar as why a friend dropped out of their lives). Hormone-saturated they may be, but old friends are important enough to look past that.
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