How to Become Popular in High School

High school can be brutal; on the one hand you are dealing with adult desires, on the other hand you are forced to sit in class all day and worry about things that are decidedly not adult in nature.

As with adult life after high school and college, popularity is an important asset. It has been said that popularity in high school is the equivalent to money after high school. It's a rough analogy, to be sure, but the point is that in high school your social worth is largely derived by how popular you are and what other people think about you.

Plus, becoming popular has other benefits (a more enjoyable time in school, better and more dates, invites to better parties), so it is worth pursuing. Here are my tips:

Become socially useful -- You may not be the "social butterfly" of your grade, but this may not matter either. Make yourself invaluable to your peers: be the one who stands up to unreasonable teachers, be the one to host an afternoon study session or responsible weekend party. Volunteer to organize an activities group that is popular, but that most people aren't interested in leading. An excellent example of this is yearbook committee. Many socially awkward and/or "nerdy" kids have been transformed into popular, outgoing people by volunteering for crucial yearbook tasks. You'll be hanging out with other kids who have similar interests, and the combination of responsibilities and tight deadlines will create a bond between you and your fellow yearbook editors.

Date outside of your school -- There is no doubt that a hot girlfriend or boyfriend can lead your peers to think you are popular, and to subsequently treat you that way. Date someone outside of your high school if the dating pool at your school is too small; bring them to prom or another important social event and watch your popularity rise!

Get involved in sports -- It sounds cliche, but joining a team at your school is one of the most surefire ways to build friends and visibility. Your teammates will count on you and your successes will be theirs; and vice versa. Also, athletes tend to run in "popularity circles" at most high schools, so if you win over a couple of your teammates with your sense of humor or dependability, they will spread the word about you. Also, many people from your school watch the games (especially "home" games), and this is a great way for you to become a more visible person at school -- others will assume you are popular since you are on the team and hanging out with the popular athletes; popularity is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. If others perceive you as sought after, you become sought after. In addition, if you have athletic ability it is totally possible to rise up through the ranks.

Don't be afraid to take risks -- Try reaching out to people you haven't hung out with before. Go beyond your comfort zone and introduce yourself to other students. Join as many after-school activities as possible without sacrificing your grades. Even though it was originally published back in the 1930s, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie remains an excellent resource on how to attract new friends into your life. I recommend you check it out sometime.

High school is only four years of your life, but it will stick with you, for better or worse. Make your time as enjoyable as possible by reaching out to new friends and building your popularity. Don't obsess over popularity, but realize that the "social aspect" of high school can be just as fun and rewarding as the good grades you get. In fact, several years after high school you won't remember the grades: you'll only remember the experiences you've had with other students. So keep things in perspective!