Caroline Toll

Friends advice columnists weigh in on students’ back-to-school problems.

Two months into the school year, we’re all still adjusting. Managing work loads, making new friends, and trying to get enough sleep while doing it all can be a daunting task. We are here to help! 

How do I get the sophomore glamour boy to notice me?

If you want someone to notice you, you need to go big and bold with it. We would suggest putting a banana peel on the ground in front of him, then slipping on it so he’ll have to catch you. 

Seriously though, if you want someone to notice you, talk to them. It’s not as complicated as it might seem. If you guys have a shared class, club, or sport, you can start a conversation about that. If not, you can try to make eye contact and smile when you see him, and eventually get up the courage to talk to him. 

I’m a freshman, and I have the biggest crush on a senior. How should I tell them?

Crushes are so exciting! Seeing your crush in the hall or even making eye contact can seem like the most important thing in the world sometimes, but don’t let it take over. To be completely honest, freshman and senior relationships are unlikely to happen. But don’t let that get you down. There are so many other things that can be fulfilling freshman year:  making good friends, focusing on school, being an active member of the school community, and getting to know yourself. 

School sucks. You have one bad day and it totally messes up your grades, but to fix that mess up you have to go above and beyond to MAYBE bump your grade up by 1%?

School can totally be hard, especially in the beginning of the year when you aren’t used to it yet. The best advice we can give you is to try to have good relationships with your teachers. Some teachers are harder to crack than others, but having a class with a teacher you’re on good terms with can make all the difference.

Communicating with your teachers is really important. Teachers want the best for you, and if you have an honest conversation with them, they’ll see you’re doing the best you can. Take advantage of help centers and other resources offered to you. Participation and time management can also help. At some point though, there’s only so much you can do to improve a grade. Try not to let your grades in school affect your personal well-being.

How should I balance doing so many clubs at once? All my clubs meet at the same time. How do I choose?

That’s a tricky one. Since it’s the beginning of the year, go to one at a time. Try different clubs and go to interest meetings until you find a few that really stick out. When you’re choosing clubs for Community Day, prioritize clubs that only meet on Community Days versus clubs that meet other times like lunch, M-block, and Extra Help.

Being a part of clubs is great, but try not to overbook yourself. Make sure you’re committing to clubs that you’re passionate about and that are fulfilling for you.

I have a teacher who’s kind of a close talker. The issue is, they drink a lot of coffee and I have a lot of questions in their class, so the coffee breath can get pretty intense. How do I navigate this??

Offer them gum. If that doesn’t work, hold your breath.