Find Creative Ways to Apologize
Fights with friends can be rough. Luckily, you have come to the right place! Here are some creative ways to apologize that anyone will accept.
Steps
- Write a letter. Letters can be meaningful and very symbolic, but only if you mean it in these ways. Write a letter explaining how sorry you are for what you did how much you believe you screwed up. Don't retell the whole story about why the fight began. But use it to express your feelings.
- Give a peace offering. Often, peace offerings can send a great message. For example, if your friend made cookies for a special occasion, and you accidentally messed them up in some way, you could bake some more cookies. Be sure they are in great condition and were actually made by you. You could wrap them up neatly and attach an apologetic note. It doesn't have to be cookies, you can make anything a peace offering. (ex: flowers, drawings, jewelry, etc.)
- Don't follow along with childish games. Sometimes when in rivalry, people send negative gestures. If your rival sends one such as "the look", just smile back. The enemy will be confused and stop trying to tear you down. Soon enough, she/he will follow through and get the message.
- Make an Apology CD. Music makes everyone's day easier. Look up music involving apologies for the same conflict you're in. You'll need several songs to make up an album. Once you have plenty of songs, you could wrap it neatly and slide it into his/her locker or have someone you know hand it to them. They are more likely to take it if it's given to them by someone else. (Don't put your name on the wrapping, put it one the CD/CD case)
- Find Recordable Cards. Buy a card from a store on which you can record a message. Make sure the card has to do with the subject. Record the apology, then you can either send it to them in the mail, lay it on their desk, or slip into their locker.
- Buy Gift Baskets. Gift baskets are great ways to send the message. Include stuff in the basket you know they'll be interested in. You can include candy, a stuffed animal of their favorite animal, that CD they've been asking for, a T-shirt, or anything else. Just make sure it appeals to their interests. (If you include candy, make sure they aren't allergic to any of it.)
- Come up with some Locker Quotes. Every once in a while until they forgive you, slip apologetic quotes into their locker or on the desk. Look up quotes on the internet that might inspire you both to make peace.
- Send an email. Send an email to the person with a cute picture which means that you are sorry. IF they send back with a nasty comment, just don't reply. The goal is to achieve forgiveness, not to escalate the conflict.
- If you are too nervous to apologize face to face, video tape the apology and give it to them. In the video, be sure to include the apology. Explain how much the friendship means to you. You could explain how much you miss talking to them, even a memory (ex: I miss when you use to dance around your bedroom with hairbrushes singing to your CDs). Once it is recorded, make sure it is playable. Then slip it into their locker, lay it on their desk, etc.
Warnings
- If they don't accept the apology, don't constantly keep apologizing. They probably get the point. Just give them a while, then say it again. If they still don't accept it, maybe it's time to consider letting them go.
