How to Become Popular
Life isn’t a popularity contest, but it works to your advantage if people have a positive view of you. If people like you, you would have an easier time socializing, and enjoying time spent at work or at school. Here are some tips that can help you become popular.
Emphasize Your Positive Traits
Popularity is different from notoriety. No one wants to hang out or associate himself or herself with someone with a bad influence. While you don’t have to act nice all the time, you should exert a bit of effort if you want to attract the right kind of crowd. You should behave in such a manner that people see good things about you:
popular kid
Be kind, courteous, and respectful. You should treat others the way you want to be treated. If you treat friends and strangers rudely, they will have a lasting negative impression of you.
Engage in conversation. Wallflowers have few chances making good friends and staying in the loop. Instead of blending into the wall, blend in with the crowd.
Stay positive. People want to feel good about themselves as much as you want to feel good about yourself. A positive attitude, like laughter, is infectious; a positive aura spreads to other people quickly, and makes them feel good about themselves as well.
Impression Management
Becoming popular is all about making sure people make the right impressions about you. To be popular, you need to exert an effort to land a good impression from the very beginning, both inside and out:
Physical Appearance: When First Impressions Last
popular kidThe way you look says a lot about who you are. Physical appearance is not everything, but you should pay attention to how you look like especially if you’re going out, or if you’re entertaining guests at home. You should always dress right for the occasion; while there’s nothing wrong with keeping up with trends and casual dress every now and then, nothing gives a better impression for others than if you dress neat and clean every day.
One way to land a good first impression is to develop a style for your own. Choose clothes with a color that best suits you. You may want to include an accessory, like a necklace or a scarf or any other fashion statement, that people can identify with you.
Socialization: When First Impressions Become Lasting Impressions
Just because you look good doesn’t mean that you’re popular. Good manners and right conduct can land you that significant and important lasting impression that can help you become a friend to everyone. Always say “Please” and “Thank you,” and don’t forget to be gracious and magnanimous to hosts, guests, and attendants.
Remember that while first impressions last, it is often the lasting impression that’s more important. You’re not after flash-in-the-pan popularity, but you’re after the lasting popularity that will make you friends and make people recognize who you are at first glance.
Be Yourself
If you exert too much effort on becoming popular, chances are that people will see right through it and consider it a charade. Just because you’re trying to be popular doesn’t mean that you should be anything other than yourself. You cannot change who you are, and people will have to accept you for who you are regardless of how many bad traits you have. The important thing to remember is to be yourself, act natural, and take people’s impressions as they come.
There’s only so much popularity can do, and winning popularity contests don’t make you any more or any less of a person than who you already are. With these tips, you can boost your confidence to deal with other people, and to land a good first and lasting impression.