Starting high school is an important event in a young person’s life. To make friends on your first day of high school, firstly, you should try to make a good first impression. So take care what you say and how you say it. Don’t be loud and remember people’s names when they introduce themselves. Be friendly and keep smiling because people are much more likely to talk to someone who is smiling and appears confident.

Secondly, don’t do anything you aren’t comfortable with doing just in order to fit in with a person or crowd. You want people to like you for being yourself, and giving a false impression can lead to embarrassment (尴尬) later. Take the time to introduce yourself to people that you think may have similar interests to yours.

Thirdly, you can start a conversation with people about the school layout (布局). Ask how you can get to your classroom or dormitory, and most people will want to be helpful and may walk you to it, giving you chance to get to know them better.

Fourthly, consider taking part in after-class activities that you are interested in, such as sports, band and drama club. High school will have a much wider choice of after-class activities than you were used to in middle school.

Last but not least, give it time. Making good friends will take time especially as you have a new school routine to get used to as well. Do not rush into getting to know people. After all, there is a good chance that the friends you make in the first weeks of high school will be with you through the rest of your school life.

Reader: For six years, I’ve run an office that has two employees: me and my boss. He used to be so appreciative that I didn’t mind doing a little extra, but about two months ago, he started being rude and demanding. Now he even yells when I don’t have time to bring his favorite wine to his home after work.

This change started when we met a wealthy new customer, who is a huge jerk (古怪的人) -- my boss’s new behavior is just like his.

My boss is a good man; he and his family have treated me like a little sister. Is there a good way to discuss this with him?

Karla: Sounds like your new customer has set a bad example to your boss. You need to remind your boss that you’re in his corner-- but you’re not his slave. My suggestions are as follows.

Start with a simple question in a calm moment: “Is everything okay?”

State the truth: “Until recently, I’ve felt like a valued teammate. But our relationship has become tense. Your expectations of me seem to have changed. Although I used to do occasional personal businesses for you as a favor, now it seems expected.”

Draw your lines: “If you think my job description needs to change or my performance is not good enough, let’s discuss that. Otherwise, I need you to stop yelling at me and to respect my personal time.”

Ideally, you’ll get an apology and a promise to do better. After that, it’s a matter of reinforcement (加强) . If he starts yelling, look at him with a calm expression. After he cools down, restate his request and add, “Is that correct?” For the unreasonable request, such as fetching his favorite wine after work: “I’m afraid I can’t take care of that for you.” If he keeps acting like a jerk, there are bosses out there who will better respect your time and talent.

Karla L. Miller is ready to hear your work dramas. Send your questions to wpmagazine@washpost.com.

We were five minutes into a severe winter storm — approaching Boston’s Logan International Airport — when I turned to the woman next to me and said, “Hey, would you mind chatting with me for a few minutes?” My seatmate seemed friendly and I suddenly felt desperate for a human connection.

“Sure. My name is Sue,” the woman replied, smiling warmly. “What brings you to Boston?” I started to explain that I was on a business trip. Then the plane trembled violently, and I blurted out, “I might need to hold your hand too.” Sue took my hand in both of hers, patted it, and held on tight.

Sometimes a stranger can significantly improve our day. ① A pleasant meeting with someone we don’t know, even an unspoken exchange, can calm us when no one else is around. It may get us out of our own heads — a proven mood lifter — and help broaden our vision. Sandstrom, a psychologist and senior lecturer at the University of Essex, has found that people’s moods improve after they have a conversation with a stranger. And yet most of us resist talking to people we don’t know or barely know. We worry about how to start, maintain, or stop it. We think we will keep talking and disclose too much, or not talk enough. We are afraid we will bore the other person. We’re typically wrong.

② In a study in which Sandstrom asked participants to talk to at least one stranger a day for five days, 99 percent said they had found at least one of the exchanges pleasantly surprising, 82 percent said they’d learned something from one of the strangers, 43 percent had exchanged contact information, and 40 percent had communicated with one of the strangers again.

③ Multiple studies show that people who interact regularly with passing acquaintances or who engage with others through community groups, religious gatherings, or volunteer opportunities have better emotional and physical health and live longer than those who do not. One person took up the cello after chatting with a woman on the subway who was carrying one. Another recalled how the smile of a fruit salesman from whom he regularly bought bananas made him feel less lonely after he’d first arrived in a new city.

④ When Sue took my hand on that scary flight to Boston, I almost wept with relief. “Hey, this is a little bumpy, but we will be on the ground safely soon,” she told me. She looked so encouraging, and confident. I asked her what she did for a living. “I’m a retired physical education teacher, and I coached women’s volleyball,” she said. Immediately, I could see what an awesome coach she must have been.

When we said goodbye, I gave Sue a big hug and my card. A few days later, I received an e-mail with the subject line “Broken hand on Jet Blue.” “I have to admit that I was just as scared as you were but did not say it,” Sue wrote. “I just squeezed your hand as hard as I could. Thank you for helping me through this very scary situation.” She added that when she’d told her friends about our conversation, they teased her because they know she loves to talk. I told my friends about Sue too. I explained how kind she was to me, and what I learned: It’s OK to ask for help from a stranger if you need it. Now if I mention to my friends that I am stressed or worried, they respond, “Just think of Sue!”