Dear May…

…Is this really anonymous?

Well, fun fact: if you answer my form, I actually learn your full name, where you live, how many siblings you have, if any, and the last time you ate ice cream. I’m totally kidding. Yes, the form is truly anonymous, and if you have anything you feel uncomfortable saying to a real person, all you have to do is think about me like a robot. I will never know who you are, and neither will anyone else, so I promise you are safe here.

…How do I handle fake friends? 

This is a question that I wish I had asked when I was younger. Fake friends seem like a tricky situation now, but I can say the answer to that is pretty simple. You don’t want to have someone around you who does not make you happy, who is mean, or who you know isn’t really your friend. That being said, if they haven’t done anything to try to ruin your life, I would say to keep it civil. Fake friends aren’t people that you want to hang out with every day, so take your time and slowly distance yourself from them. Remember, you don’t owe anyone an explanation for anything, so if they ask why, you don’t have to answer. If you want to just be honest and say that you don’t think that this friendship is the best thing for you anymore, you don’t have to force yourself into a friendship or a relationship where you are unhappy. Make sure that no matter what you do, you put yourself first.

…How do you deal with loneliness?

The first thing and probably the most important thing that you should realize is that you are never truly alone, no matter how much it feels like you are. Another thing that is super important to know is that there are so many people out there who feel the same way you do. I would advise you to figure out what you need to do to help yourself. Everyone is different; some people may need to hang out with friends more, and some people feel the need to be surrounded by family more. Whatever the case may be, there is always something that you can do to make you feel a little better. Send a text to one of your friends and ask them to hang out. Put yourself out there; having fun with friends is something that will make you feel better, even just for the moment. If it’s something with family, then it’s okay to be honest and talk to them about it; let them know you want to spend more time with them. Make sure that no matter what you end up doing, you are always reminding yourself that you aren’t truly alone, that you have so many people who care about you, and that if you ever need to talk to someone who will listen, there are so many people, even in the school, that you can reach out to.

…How do I stay organized in school?

Staying organized was one of the hardest things for me. I recommend having more than one folder. I still don’t, and that is definitely something that will help. I also recommend using a planner if that is something you know will work for you. If that doesn’t work for you, then something I do is use the notes app on my phone and write down everything that I need to get done for that day, then delete it when it’s done. That may not work for everyone, but it does work for me. My best advice would be to make sure your backpack is pretty organized and clean and try different things out to see what helps you the best, no matter if it’s a planner, your notes app, or even just a bunch of sticky notes. Sooner or later, you will find something that works best for you; stick with it. I promise it   will work with time.

…What is the best backpack brand for high school?

This is a really controversial topic, depending on who you are asking. My answer would be that it seriously depends on how much you need to fit in there. Your backpack does not need to be something really fancy or expensive. One brand that I really liked was Jansport, and while some of their book bags may be a little pricey, they will last for a while, and they hold your whole life and more in there. The best advice I can give you is to look at the reviews if you buy a backpack online and make sure that it will hold all your stuff. I once bought a backpack from Amazon, and it broke within two weeks because it was holding too much weight. I also know that Northface backpacks are said to be really good, and while I have never tried them, I know that Northface is a brand that you can trust. Get whichever backpack fits what you need and what you like.

…How do you maintain healthy romantic relationships when you’ve had toxic ones in the past?

The first thing that is important to realize is that this person is not the same person that you dated before. It is important to not compare your partner to people you dated in the past and to not assume that they will do something because someone did it to you before. This being said, it is also important that your current partner is patient with you and realizes that you may need a little more reassurance or that you aren’t really used to a relationship like this. Trusting someone after having a toxic relationship can be hard, but it will come within time. Let your partner show you that you can trust them and show your partner that you are trying your hardest to make that relationship work. Also, make sure to have fun with your partner. It’s important to let loose and do something that you guys both enjoy, and make sure that you have good memories together. You have to make sure your partner knows that you appreciate everything they do and that you feel as if they are doing what you expect a partner to do. People do make mistakes, though, and realize that we are all still so young, so if mistakes are made, don’t let them be the end of the world. Talk through them. It is so important that you guys have good communication skills.

…How do I balance grades, extracurriculars, friends/family, and hobbies without feeling like I’m working my sanity away?

Don’t overwhelm yourself. Make sure that there is at least one day out of the week where you can sit down with yourself and make sure that you are okay and all caught up. Before anything, your mental health should always come first, and if you feel like you need to take a break, let someone know. If you are falling behind in classes, talk to your teachers and make sure they know where you are mentally and that you are trying your best. School should come second to your mental health. It is important that you keep up because once you start to fall behind, it can make you feel like you cannot do anything. As long as you are trying your best, then you are doing great. Remember that your friends are your friends for a reason. If you are feeling overwhelmed, it’s okay to ask for help or even just let them know that you will be a little distant while you figure out other aspects of your life. No one will be upset with you if you need your time, so take some. It’s also important that your family knows if you are feeling a little stressed so that they can help or even just understand why you may be acting a little off. Deep breaths; you’re doing great.

WEB EXCLUSIVE RESPONSES NOT IN THE NEWSPAPER!

Is Halloween completely celebrated?

From what I believe you are asking, if everyone celebrates Halloween, the answer is no. Some people don’t celebrate Halloween for religious reasons, and some don’t because they simply don’t want to. Whatever someone’s reason to celebrate or not celebrate Halloween, make sure that you don’t judge them for whatever they decide to do.

What is your favorite Halloween costume that you’ve seen either a student, teacher, or staff member wearing here at BHS?

I have seen so many good ones, but I think one of my favorites has to be when I saw someone walking around as a hot dog. It was my first year here, my sophomore year, and I didn’t realize that teachers could dress up, so it really caught me off guard, and I thought it was the funniest thing ever.

How would you go about getting community service hours? Can you get them in ways outside of the school? If so, how? If it’s exclusively for school projects, who would you go to to find out more information?

Community service is not specifically in school; if you can find opportunities outside of school, then it will count. If you need to find places to do community service, you can simply look online to see if anything local is looking for volunteers, and you can also go to your guidance counselor to see if they have any opportunities, inside or outside of school, for you. They definitely will have something, so don’t stress too much. As long as you put effort into finding community service opportunities, you will.