DEAR ABBY: I'm a teenager who has lived in Boston and a few other places. Now I live in Utah. My two Boston friends were just out here visiting, but they are gone now. I have "friends" here, but they bully me. They make fun of me and call me dumb, or say that I never seem to do the right thing. I have pulled back from them, and I now realize I really have no friends. What do I do? Help! -- BULLIED IN UTAH
DEAR BULLIED: Friends don't treat friends the way those individuals treated you, so be glad they are out of your life. Making friends requires putting yourself out there. Consider participating in sports or extracurricular activities, if they are offered at school or in your community. If there are youth clubs, see if any of them interest you. If your family has joined a church, inquire about youth activities you can join. If you do, I predict that in a very short time, you'll be friendless no more.