A Lonely Bookworm seeks advice

by · August 13, 2014

Dear Miss Luna,

I have always admired how you are always yourself and are proud of who you are. I am in going into my 2nd year at Hogwarts and I always try my best to be myself but I get picked on a lot because of it. Even my own sister is doing it now! I have only 1 or 2 really good friends and while I am very glad to have them, it can get kind of lonely sometimes since they both have a ton of other friends than me and are pretty popular and the only thing I’m popular with is my books! Any ideas on how to get the teasing to stop and maybe make more friends while still being myself?

Thanks,
Lonely Bookworm

Miss Lonely Bookworm,

Navigating second year can be quite a challenge; I want you to know you’re off to a good start by reading a lot and striving to remain true to yourself. I’m also pleased at how your cherish the friends you have, although I understand your desire for a larger friend group. It’s easy to say “quality over quantity”, but a lot harder to accept it when it seems like everyone else has both.

Having dealt with rather more than my fair share of teasing over the years, I can sympathize with how it must wear on your heart. If you feel you can, talk about how it makes you feel with your Mum or Dad (especially regarding your sister), or with your friends. Having someone you can confide in and who will support you makes all the difference in the world. If the teasing progresses into something uglier, please talk to one of your professors or the Headmistress; sometimes the only ones that can help us are the ones that have a power we don’t, and we have to seek and accept that help.

As far as expanding your friend group, asking the close friends you do have to include you in their wider circle might be a good option. If I hadn’t gotten friendly with Ginny and Harry Potter, I would never have met Ron and Hermione, or Neville, or the rest of the D.A.! Or, if you’re feeling brave (are you a Gryffindor, by chance?), you could keep an eye out for any other bookworms and ask them about what they’re reading. Curiosity is a virtue, and expressing it about others is the fastest way to find common ground.

Good luck!
Luna