Making Friends

Hi, I’m Leonette.  I’m going to give you some advice on getting along with friends.

How to meet friends

First introduce yourself to the person you may like. Then you can spend time together. You can do things like go out for coffee, or talk to them on the phone. My roommate Judy and I have been friends for a long time. We met at the Special Olympics; you can meet lots of people there.

Here’s what’s important in a friend

Friends are trustworthy, dependable and thoughtful. They don’t get jealous. A friend is someone you can look up to. It’s important to understand each other.

Friends are helpful

It’s nice to have friends because you can depend on them; like they’ll wait for you. I help my friends if they are in a bad mood or they’re upset. I’ll ask them what’s wrong and try to get them to talk about it. It’s important to listen to your friends. You can help solve problems together; that’s what Judy and I try and do.

Leo is a member of The Arc of San Francisco's Client Advisory Committee.

Photo: Leo (left) with friend Judy.