Hey girl,

Do you think you might be in bad crowd right now, hanging with people who aren’t really your friends?

Spending time with the wrong crowd can have a negative effect on your life. It’s important to surround yourself with positive people who let you be yourself and can encourage and support you.

So how do you move out of a bad crowd and into a good crowd? Here’s some tips to help:

• Recognise what a bad crowd looks like. If you hang out with people who laugh at you, put you down and make you feel bad about yourself, then you’re in a bad crowd.

• Look for friends who are forgiving and accept you for who you are. No one is perfect and sometimes you may hurt a friend or break their trust. A real friend will forgive you and want to move forward.

• Recognise what a good crowd looks like. Good friends are people who you love and trust and who support you throughout. They’ll also help you to avoid making bad decisions and won’t pressure you to do things you don’t want to do.

• Learn to look out for people who want the same good things you do. Choose friends who have dreams of staying in school, getting good grades and creating opportunities for themselves. They have a great future ahead of them – just like you do!

Making new friends isn’t always easy, but when you are open, honest and being the real you, the right people come to you.

The best friendships happen naturally so don’t worry too much about what other people think of you. Focus on being a good person and the right crowd is sure to come your way!