Being a junior high school student or a high school student is not easy. Many days are hard. Many days you must study and study and study. Many days you have no free time. Many days you must prepare your homework, prepare for tests, and think about your future plans.

When you are in junior high or high school you have a lot of pressure. You have pressure from your mother and father. You have pressure from your teachers. You have pressure from your coaches. You can also have pressure from your classmates. That is a lot of pressure. Some pressure in your life can be good. Good pressure will push you to work hard and to study well. Good pressure will bring you success. But it is possible that some students are not so good when they have pressure. Sometimes a student may feel bad, and may feel alone.

If you are someone who feels alone in your class I want to tell you that I understand your feeling. When I was in high school I was in a class that was not easy for me. I had no friend in my class and every day I rode on the bus alone. That time was hard, but I was okay. Later when I went to university I could make many new friends and that was a wonderful time, and I felt very lucky. But high school can be hard, and junior high school can be hard. If you were like me I want you to remember that this time in junior high and high school is short. You have many things to do when you graduate and begin your life as a university student.

To be lonely is hard, but you must not think that this lonely time is forever for you. It is temporary, and one day it will go away. I have some ideas that may help you if you are feeling lonely.

1. Do something different. Sometimes to change our mind we need to change our actions. Do something that is new for you. Walk around your neighborhood and see what is around your area. Go to a place you never went before. Try a new kind of food that you never tried before. Wear different kinds of shoes. Try to listen to a new kind of music. Try anything that is new for you.
2. Play with a cat or a dog. It is amazing how great animals are for people. Whenever I feel bad I play with my dog. No one loves a person like a dog or a cat. Pets really are sometimes much better than people.
3. Talk to another person who you think is alone too. Sometimes helping another person who is alone will be good for you too. And sometimes you can meet a new and very interesting friend.
4. Stay away from your computer and cell phone. Try not to use Facebook or Line or social media. Scientists know that people who feel lonely usually feel more lonely if they use social media too much. You should talk to a person directly. This is very hard, but the computer is not going to help your bad feeling very much. Try something different.
5. Listen to people who have been lonely like you. Sometimes it is good to talk to a teacher who is older and has experience in life about your problem. There is a good chance that they will know your feeling and listen to you. Remember that to feel bad now is very hard, but tomorrow it might be less bad. The day after that maybe a little better. You are going to be okay. Be calm in your mind. You are a good person. You are important. You are needed.

Thank you very much, and have a good day.