Hi, I'm a teenager who is mature for their age. I feel like I can't really establish a solid friendship 'connection' with anyone because of the 'mental age gap'. Does this also happen to other people? Is it a common thing for friends not to grow any closer than just knowing each others names? I try to be social, but no one seems interested enough to respond. :/

You might not be mature for your age, but view the world differently. I thought that was the reason I was distant from everyone, but it was just a pessimistic view of the world that separated me from the rest.

Even in adults their is no set maturity, since some act like kids, while others act more responsibly. Everyone still adheres to who they were as a kid, but some fix some of their flaws as they age.

Maybe you aren't talking to the right people, since every group in high school acts different.

Also it is very rare to make a friend that will be there, or stay your friend, for life. Most school friends come and go. This never changes, since work friends come and go too.

You might not be too mature for your age - the others might be too childish.
Especially when you've lost someone dear or you had some bad experiences in the past, you get another perception of everything - a perception the others don't have and don't understand.

If you don't grow closer than to know each others names, you aren't friends at all.

Anyways, friends aren't that important.
Translates to: Before trying to change your character to fit the expectations of the others, it's better to wait until you find someone similar to you because of this >>2.

>>4 I agree with you on all but the statement "Friends aren't important". Friends are a great way to feel like a member of the community and can help with valuable experiences for later in life when you will inevitably have to get along with different people. Simply dismissing them as they are too different will not solve the problem. However it is important that the closest friends too you are people who you can trust, which usually means they are similar in personality and interests.

Maybe your neutral face is a bit scary? My friends tell me that I seem unapproachable to those who don't know me and it's because I feel to awkward to talk and my face looks like I am upset. If you try smiling, you may socialise much easier :) Ofcourse, not fake smiling but if you feel good just remember to keep the corners of your lips up a bit. I hope this helps!

Been there myself. Could it be that you're trying too hard to please a certain group of people and not leaving yourself open to new friendships.

Try to get out of your comfort zone and be more proactive and open to everyone around you. Keep a smile ready. Friendship isn't about age,gender or creed, in my experience it's about the ones you let share your life.

I've had a very different childhood for most, and therefore look at the world very differently, often feeling like I'm more mature than others my age. I also have struggled with making friends, but it usually fails. After an entire year of doing all I could to please others, with nothing working. Last school year came and went, with hardly any new friends, and me being stressed and worried all the time about what others thought about me. Throughout the summer I wasted a lot of time, just feeling down and wanting a better life, but not knowing how. I started the new school year and decided that false persona of being what I thought others wanted wasn't worth it, and I kind of just gave up trying to impress others. I've just been myself for the past month, strange obsession with Darth Sideous quotes and all, and it has felt great. I feel free for the first time in years.

>>5 I still disagree.
There is no way that friends are more important than your true identity. It's complete nonsense.
Friends come and go and the only thing you will learn is that you put too much effort into this friendship pretending to be someone you weren't and it had been for nothing.

Frankly you're probably Just unlucky Just like me. Keep trying, maybe wait a bit? People will come to you. You Just have to wait. I had no friends at one point in my life but could connect to adults very well, in my senior year of high school and now I can relate to almost anyone at my school!

Don´t worry too much, maybe try to talk to others? You are not alone with this feeling even if you feel like nobody would be there for you, there is still God who loves everybody equally.