Dear Anaya,

Are you a Swag Messiah and on a scale of 1-10 how swag can a swag messiah be?

-The Swaggiest Swag Messiah

Dear Swag Messiah,

Swag Messiah: “Swag Messiah: the savior to enlighten all cringe, unbased, and stupid people…” Urban Dictionary. “Swag Messiah is a name that evokes logical reasoning. You are possibly intelligent, intuitive, graceful, and even a psychic.” www.myfirstnamerocks.com

Per the definition, I’m not sure! I don’t intend to “enlighten” people deemed “cringe, unbased, and stupid,” mainly because I don’t believe anyone is stupid or cringe. I will say that I do enjoy speaking on topics of importance, and providing information that others may not know in order to share my knowledge and theories, and hopefully be corrected and learn something new!

On a scale of 1-10, I feel the only acceptable answer is 10. Like can you even call yourself a Swag Messiah if you are not on that timing…

-Anaya

Dear Anaya,

I really want to go to college somewhere outside of New York, but I’m scared. I know it costs a lot of money but I also want to be happy with where I go. Should I limit myself and only apply to state schools?

-Financially Aware Student

Hey!!

NO!!!!! DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF! You deserve to be happy, secure, and comfortable with the decision you make. So if you want to leave New York, DO IT! To cut costs, you can always apply to a school nearby in Connecticut and receive associate credits along with some classes you take now and senior year. However, if you’d like to reduce costs even further, consider a school where it is easy to commute to, this takes off the cost of living, which is included in your tuition.

The incredible thing about BHS is that you have the ability to apply to so many different scholarships! I no longer have access to the scholarship forms because the deadline has passed so I’ll give you all the knowledge I have!

Get involved in extracurriculars while you can so you can qualify for a variety of scholarships by the time you’re a senior. There are scholarships that target specific groups of people like Art students,  Baseball, ROTC, etc. You’ll absolutely be able to find multiple scholarships that apply to you, there are even generic scholarships for being a BHS student! If you’d like a more in-depth analysis of available scholarships, I would highly consider speaking to your guidance counselor!

Fill out your Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA). I promise Ms. Chalmers, teachers, and guidance counselors will be hounding you about this until the deadlines are over you can’t POSSIBLY forget!

Staying up to date with your ideal college’s opportunities is important. Some colleges do offer private scholarships based on their criteria for it so definitely research those.

Good Luck!!

-Anaya

Dear Anaya,

Why do people go by they/them if they are a girl or boy?

-Interested

Hey Interested,

First, I’d LOVE to thank you for asking this question. I feel this is something many people who are not LGBTQ+ could benefit from.

This is because sex and gender are classified as two different things.

Simplified definition: Sex is determined by biological factors like genitalia and hormones. Gender is the visual perception or social construct of one’s role. By utilizing they/them pronouns, the individual is straying away from the social construct built upon sex. People use different pronouns for a multitude of reasons. Primarily, because they do not feel like they fit the category of strictly male or female and are non-binary or gender fluid.

By addressing someone by the proper pronouns, we are creating a safe environment for individuals to express themselves freely, which is much different than what we were able to do before. The social norm of women being “lady-like” and men being big, strong heroes is slowly but surely becoming less forced upon. Thank you thank you thank you for this question.

-Anaya

Dear Anaya,

What is one non-obvious thing you will miss from school? (Not friends, memories or sports.)

-Anon

Hello!

One thing I will miss is the broccoli OMG! It is so good and everyone sleeps on it but the school broccoli is truly the best I have ever had.

Thanks for this brief yet fun question!!

-Your local broccoli lover

Hi Anaya!

Summer is coming up, and I’m worried that I will lose connection with some of my friends. I’m also going to get my certification to be a lifeguard, but in simplistic terms; how do I make time for work and friends?

-The soon-to-be sophomore.

Hey Sophomore:)

CONGRATS ON YOUR CERTIFICATION! I absolutely could never.

Firstly, make sure you are working hours that are suitable for you. If you are concerned about maintaining friendships, think about your daily schedule. Will YOU be okay with the amount you’re working? If you do not have time for your friends, you surely will not have time for yourself. No one wants to be so drained that the one chance they have off, they’re spending it with their friends even though they are on the verge of exhaustion, or have to cancel plans. So work with your manager/supervisor in order to find a balance. If they get hostile about it, use a parent or guardian as an excuse! So serious.. As a minor, your parent/guarding do have a say on your work schedule, I like to say:

“My ____ prefers me to be home at a certain time,” or “I will be unable to come in *Insert times or days* because my ____ cannot drive me.” Now I am not saying lie, use whatever is applicable to your situation, I just find these phrases to be the most common factors among working minor’s schedules out of the jobs I’ve taken.

Also, communicate your lengthy schedule with your friends. Those who are true friends will understand. I talk to my best friend on average 10 minutes a day, and we only really speak a couple of times throughout the week. Both of us are busy people, but that does stop us from sending a little, “I miss you!”

In order to keep up with your friends whether it’s just you that’s busy, or both parties are occupied, you can simply do small gestures! A good morning/good night text, TikToks that remind you of them, finding a time when you both are available to catch up over the phone or in person.

Friendships do not need to have constant activity or interaction by any means, it’s about the emotion and connection you have with a person. Show them you still love and care for them, make time for them when you are able to while still giving yourself time, and communicate your current situation in order for them to know what to expect from you.

SO, essentially communicate and follow through. But if some friendships drift, it’s okay too, it happens. Wishing you the absolute best of luck!!

-Anaya

Dear Anaya,

“How can I keep up friendships even if I’m nervous to talk first?”

-Nervous

Hello hello!

Being nervous is totally normal, but understanding where your nervousness stems from will allow you to build the skills necessary to communicate with your friends. 

THIS is why social media is so awesome! Like I stated in one of my previous sections, send a post! Something funny, interesting, or something that simply reminds you of the person. This may spark up conversation without you even having to say anything. This too is from personal experience and seeing other friends do the same. Actions like randomly reaching out through a post, depending on the context of the post, can lead to conversation, phone calls, Snapchats, voice memos, etc. If you feel okay doing so, add your feelings on the post or a comment on it in the text you send to your friend to kickstart that convo.

Similarly, Snapchat is great for boosting your confidence in communicating with people. Send someone a picture of something interesting. Or comment on something they’ve sent you and keep the convo going. 

Make plans! A simple sentence like, “We should do this sometime,” after sending a post or a picture almost always works. Let’s say the person says “YESSS,” or “I’m down,” ask when they’re free! The first step to anything…is taking that first step. Sometimes you need to take a slight risk in order to receive results.

Your friends are your friends for a reason, take a slight risk in sending them some post or Snap, so you won’t have to talk first! But know that making plans with someone or facetiming them takes a bit of initiative. BUt once you do it, you’ll feel more comfortable, especially if that friend is truly compatible with you!

Best of luck, STAY CONFIDENT, I BET YOU ARE A WONDERFUL PERSON AND FRIEND 

-Anaya

Dear Anaya, 

“How do you deal with the pressure of succeeding? And the fear of failure?”

-Still Stressed

Hiiii,

Think of failure as a state of mind though. Failure is perception based, if you tell yourself you’re failing, you are only going to stress yourself out more. Know that if you are operating at your max ability or beyond that, you are already being successful. Success is what you are able to accomplish, not how much you accomplish. 

This school year is coming to a close: DON’T FRET. Think about how the large weight on your shoulders will suddenly disappear for a bit. 

Personally, I had to change my mindset in order to stop putting so much pressure on myself, although I do still slip up and overwork myself. Using a planner and calendar, whether it be consistently or not, helped with organizing the things I needed to do, and the goals I’ve set for myself. Now if you don’t think you’ll be consistent, jot as much as you can think of down, so just in case you forget to write in your planner/calendar, you’ll be able to at least look at it. 

With a fear of failure, less is more. Like for example, you can’t fail a Forensics class if you’re not taking it! Make sure you have a healthy plate of tasks needed so you are able to devote a generous amount of time to what you have to get done. Now if you cannot control the load of work you have, make sure you’re planning your days/weeks accordingly. Making sure to leave time in between to rest and decompress is incredibly important because how are you going to do your best work if you aren’t feeling like your best self? Overall, plan everything you can out, and make time for yourself in order to recharge.

Remember that it’s okay to take breaks in moderation. That’s not to say burn yourself out and take a hiatus, but giving yourself time when you are sitting down too long or doing too much work at once is okay. Communicate with teachers, parents/guardians, and work managers in order to make sure there are no lingering expectations that you cannot meet. Deadlines and commitments are difficult to get around, so communication is important in that regard. This way, you are not going against your word, and still completing things at a decent pace.

Stay strong, know your limits, and believe that you’re always doing great!

-Anaya

Dear Anaya,

“How can I find a summer job that has flexible hours and wants to hire me?”

-Anon

Dear Anon

Be sure to build a resume listing your skills. It’s ok if you haven’t had a previous job, most employers understand that when hiring at the entry level. I listed my current and previous clubs, commitments, accomplishments, etc. This gives them a good sense of who you are as a person,

Next, look at retail and food business jobs at entry level as well as jobs that “do not require prior experience,” or “a diploma.” This way employers are able to expect a high school student. 

Being honest in your resume is better than embellishing. If you are not what you’ve written yourself to be, you may become stressed with maintaining that expectation, or worse, fired for underperformance. 

Next, be sure to ask about the scheduling and time-off policy. This is important as students because we have events to attend like concerts, club meetings, and sports events. Be sure to communicate with your employer and give them a detailed heads-up when you get that interview (I bet you will!) For this, although retail may be taxing, that’s what I loved most about it. There are often other teenagers willing to pick up or switch schools with you, so I’d keep that in mind. Hope this helps, and good luck with your search for a job!!

-Anaya

Hey Anaya!!!

What is the best self-affirmation to keep us inspired in achieving our dreams?

P.s. – I love your energy!

-Motivated

HIII!

Thank you so much for the compliment, it means so much to me!

I’m not sure if these count as affirmations, or just as words to keep me going, but here are some things I want to say to myself and others!

“You are the most important person in your life, so treat yourself like it!” -Oftentimes we forget that we need to be kind to ourselves and make sure we are okay to work at the most optimal pace we can, leading to success.

“I am doing my best, and that is enough.” -Comparing ourselves to one another is a common thing that tends to get overlooked. Success is unique for each person, so defining it for ourselves, and accomplishing what appeals to our current situation, provides us with FEELING successful as well as being proud of the work we do, thus allowing us to maintain the drive to complete such tasks.

This is all I have, but honestly, resort to TikTok. It may not be good for much, but for affirmations, you can find a whole lot. Those two are just the ones I use on a daily basis. I really hope this helps <333

-Anaya

Dear Anaya

“How do you write poetry that’s not cheesy? What do you do when your situationship gets into another situationship?”

-A Poet

Dear Poet,

Poetry is typically written from the heart, experiences, and key factors of life. That being said, adjust your writing to reflect what you truly mean. Using uncommon, unique metaphors will always do the trick. This allows you to express yourself in a way that many have not seen before. If you feel using metaphors is too cliche, try personifying your emotions. I love using this because you and readers are able to visualize and add character to your writing without being too literal.

Because poetry is generally more of a heartfelt type of writing, being cheesy is okay. It’s not cheesy if you don’t feel it’s cheesy; don’t let outside opinions or factors dictate the value of your writing! It’s about what you make it so if it’s feeling cheesy, maybe the words are not pertaining to you. Try to use different rhetorical devices to express yourself in your writing. 

As for the situationship, I get it, it’s hard. You may not have been in an official and exclusive relationship with this person, but emotion can be binding. My tips are…

1. Lean on a trusted friend. A friend who may have gone through this themselves or have been on the opposing end of what you are experiencing can help guide you through the steps to take in order to get over this person.
2. Know that this person is not obligated to you. While this may seem obvious, it’s important to keep this as a reminder. Constantly reminding yourself that not only are they not obligated to you, but you are not obligated to them will become an instinctual thought in your mind, allowing you to get over them further.
3. I keep saying “get over,” because if this person isn’t taking you seriously, it’s not your job to figure out why, or to change based on it. We have only lived a little less than ¼ of our lives, this situationship is not as important to your life as it may feel in the moment. Instead, take the time for yourself. You do not need to remove or block this person if it doesn’t serve you (although in some cases it is the best option.) Do things to get your mind off it. Do extra homework, clean your room, try a new hairstyle, go shopping. But if this is really emotionally affecting you, do things that bring you back to the person you are inside. Find yourself. For some this may hurt as much as a relationship or in a comparative way. So regardless of how you’re feeling, take the steps to make you, a better you, for yourself. 

Overall, be honest with your emotions. If you’re upset, be upset! That is the only way to plan steps according to what you need and who you are. As for your poetry, write how you feel fit, and use different rhetorical devices to gather your thoughts! Hope this helps you gain confidence in your situation and writing!

-Anaya

Hi Anaya, 

“This isn’t really a question but what if we had a month where a single day in every week we dress up as a theme and we could sell stuff that have to do with the the theme ( we wouldn’t have to do the selling part but the dressing up part lowk sounds fun)”

-Creative

Dear Creative,

OMG. I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!! Please do it, I entirely support this. Take it up with the student government, if we ever have one again.. If not, then talk to Ms. Chalmers or an administrator. This is such a fun idea and I think many people would love this! You are so creative, I hope this becomes a thing. If you do end up initiating any sort of plan for this in the future, please reach out to me; it would make my whole day!!!

-Anaya

Dear Anaya, 

“How many regents do you need to graduate?”

-Studious Student

Dear Studious Student,

So! In general, you will need 5 Regents exams in order to graduate, one for each core class as well as an additional regent exam. This all depends on what courses you take and what diploma you are looking to receive. This is a topic unique to each student due to different goals, courses being taken, and more.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to go into depth because there are SO many routes you can take depending on where you as an individual are at academically, but if you need any further assistance, your guidance counselor will be more than happy to discuss your personal requirements for graduation. Hope this helps or is a first step to understanding!

-Anaya