Switching schools can bring a feeling of disconnection that can be difficult to overcome. It may be hard for a new student to ease out of the feeling of isolation.
Nixa High School freshman counselor, Ashley Finley, said that feeling disconnected from the student body can be displayed in a few different mannerisms.
“Typically it’s going to look like the person is uninterested [and/or] nervous,” Finley said. “They might have their head down or hang out outside of the crowd.”
While feeling disconnected most commonly takes place on the inside, Finley said that some signs can be spotted on the outside too.
“Look for body language that shows that they don’t feel comfortable: head down, doing something else to distract themselves [or] being alone instead of part of the group,” Finley said.
Although it is common among new students to feel disconnected from the crowd, most of these feelings stem from one main problem. Senior Olivia (Olive) Cochran, who helped host a catered lunch for new students on Sep. 14, 2023 said that the root of this problem can come from the actions of both the student body and the student themselves.
“[The problem could be] lingering in the disconnection for too long,” Cochran said. “You just don’t open up so then it’s a struggle to know more people. For the student body, make sure to give in to allowing them to open up, because if you don’t get involved with them then how are they supposed to feel comfortable with you? It almost makes them feel unwelcome.”
Sophomore Kendall Bourbon switched to NHS at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, joining the yearbook class upon arrival. Bourbon said that she did fall victim to the feeling of disconnection that many new students experience.
“[I did feel disconnected] a little bit,” Bourbon said. “Mostly just because all of [the yearbook students] knew each other because they did some [collaboration] at the beginning of the year to decide the theme. I kind of just felt like I wasn’t really a part of the group, but as we started working together and collaborating, then I started to feel more like a part of the group..”
It might prove hard for individuals to pull themselves out of the isolated and disconnected state that they are in, but Cochran said that there is a way to avoid falling deeper into loneliness: Get involved.
“I think it’s OK to feel [disconnected] for a little bit, but definitely don’t linger in it,” Cochran said. “Always try and get involved – The more people you meet the better. You won’t like everyone, but you’ll at least have a bigger connection … – It’s a really difficult thing for some people, but just opening up to others will get you closer to students, staff and teachers.”
Although one may feel that they have to overcome the mental state of isolation by themselves, that is not always necessarily true.
Finley said that there are ways that the student body can help to make a student feel as though they belong.
“The best way the student body can help new students feel a sense of belonging is to be friendly, welcoming and include them,” Finley said. “The new student in history class is assigned the seat next to you, say ‘hi’ and introduce yourself. You see someone struggling to find their class, ask if you can help. You see a student looking totally lost in the cafeteria, ask if they want to sit with you. None of these things are forcing you into a friendship if you decide that the two of you have nothing in common, but simple kindness goes a long way in a building of 2,000 students.”