1. Be friendly and approachable. Nothing beats a friendly and welcoming face on the first day of school. Be pleasant and helpful. Offer assistance to new students, especially if they look lost. A little kindness goes a long way.

2. Join clubs and organizations. This is a great way of meeting new people. New friends will also encourage you to be more active in your club, and you know that knowing more people leads you to knowing even more people, right?

3. Food is good. Share a table at the cafeteria, or offer strangers a taste of your exotic ?baon.? Swapping stories over a meal makes it easier to be friends with somebody. Hunting for good and cheap eats in and around the school is also an adventure with a new friend. Good company, good food - makes you look forward to a day in school.

4. Be trendy. If dressing to impress is your game plan, they can be a way to gain more friends. If people compliment you about your ensemble, say thank you, then offer them shopping tips on a student's budget. Let them know where the best ukay-ukay is, when a certain store is going on sale, and share secret finds. They might also share with you some of their secrets, so it's a win-win situation.

5. Study groups are cool. On a particularly hard subject, ask your classmates if they would be interested to join a study group. Study groups give everyone an opportunity to learn from one another.

6. Keep an open mind. An open mind is a sign that you are accepting of other people's beliefs and traditions. No one would want to have a prejudiced person as a friend.

7. Know when to be funny. There's some good GP humor, and there are some jokes you don't tell in front of certain people. Practice some sensitivity and don't box people in. It would be great to be friends with someone whom people don't avoid at parties.

8. Don't be the bad influence, but don't be the one to kill the buzz either. Don't invite your new friends to cut class, drink, cheat, and terrorize your other classmates. At the same time, don't be such a goody-two-shoes that you rat your classmates out to the teacher.

9. If you're an active person, join sports teams. Play ball, be fit, and gain new friends! Being energetic and happy all the time is contagious, people will want to hang out with you more.

10. Maintain those friendships that you just made. Make them feel important; communicate frequently through phone calls, e-mail and text messaging. And when you?re mobile, nothing beats SMARTALK to stay connected with your BFF. A simple "Good morning!" or "What's up?" can do wonders for your bond, even if the hectic schedule of school prevents you from getting together as much as you'd like.