Dear Astrid,
So my best friend has been dating this girl for a year and she’s really nice, but my friend keeps blowing me off and I haven’t seen them outside of school in months. I really miss their friendship and I don’t know what to do. We never make plans and the few times we do make plans, they always end up canceling at the last minute. They always cancel right before we’re hanging out and it’s so annoying. I really want them to be happy, but I miss my friend especially since we’re going to be in different classes next year. I don’t know what to do, any advice would help.

-Alone and Left Waiting

Dear Alone and Left Waiting,
Many people have been in this situation, I promise you’re not the only one. I’m really sorry you feel so alone and forgotten. Have you tried talking to your friend and telling them how you feel? I know I always say this, but communication is so important and it can alleviate so many conflicts. If this person is really your best friend, I’m sure they’ll understand how you feel and start making time for you as well. If not, then there’s not a lot you can really do. It’s their decision in the end and it might be time to start making peace with letting that friendship go a little bit. By that I mean you don’t have to let them go and not become friends anymore, but if this is the new normal of your relationship, then there might not be anything you can do about it. In situations like these, the other person is often so distracted by their own life that they neglect to see the people around them. I promise you’re not invisible and you can be heard. You just have to find people to listen to. Either way, everything is going to work out in the end. The world is so big and there are always going to be people we treasure and some people that we might just have to let go. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just the way things are sometimes. Best of luck with your best friend and I hope everything works out. No matter what though remember your own worth and that you matter.

-Astrid

Dear Astrid,
I’m having a lot of trouble in math. No matter how hard I try or how much I pay attention, I just can’t figure it out. It really sucks and I’ve asked my teacher for help but I don’t think they understand what I’m having trouble with. I try to stay after school as often as I can, but the after school bus is awful and it takes me an hour to get home everyday on top of my car sickness. I really don’t know what to do and I feel like I might fail this class if I don’t do something. What should I do?

– Math Help

Dear Math Help,
Trouble with math is common, I promise everything is going to be okay. Math is like a different language and it has so many rules and things to remember that it looks completely foreign sometimes. Asking your teacher for help is a great start, but there are so many other great resources both in school and out of school. Brewster’s math society Mu Alpha Theta has math tutors available to help so you can go for tutoring either after school or if you have a study hall, you might be able to go then. Tutoring is really helpful because it’s one on one time with someone who can walk you through the equations. Teachers are great, but with 25 kids in a class they don’t always have the time or the opportunity to help a student at the moment. Some other resources you can use are Khan Academy which has all sorts of math help, Mathway, or YouTube has a lot of great tutorials. The thing with math is that the more you do it, the easier it gets. For some extra practice, you could Google math equations and problems. If you keep working at it and get used it, your math skills will improve. Not all parts of math are going to be used in everyday life after school so I wouldn’t worry about it. You’ll get the hang of it and good luck.

-Astrid

Dear Astrid,
I feel like I’ve been on my phone too much lately but there’s nothing else for me to do. My parents have been on me about it lately and I wanna be on it less so they leave me alone about it but without it I’m so bored. My phone actually says I’m on the phone 13 hours a day and there’s definitely something wrong with that. Do you have any suggestions for stuff I could do without my phone?

-Power Off

Dear Power Off,
Getting off of your phone is a great idea but hard at the same time. Some things that are good to do without your phone are going to the library and getting a book to read or writing a short story. It sounds weird but cleaning is a really great way to disconnect and distract yourself. I always find that organizing helps me de-stress and become more comfortable in my environment so I would totally do that. Painting and drawing are really great ways to pass the time as well as playing outside with a pet or taking them outside for a walk. Hanging out with friends in person is always fun especially if you’re just meeting at a park or something and playing a game. Tag may be a kids game but boy is it fun to play. It’s really easy to feel like there’s nothing else to do outside of your phone but there’s so much out there to explore- you just have to find something that interests you. Movie nights are always fun and if you wanna spend time with your parents you could set one up. Baking or cooking is also great and it has the added bonus of yummy food. Have fun finding a hobby!

-Astrid

Ask Astrid (a pseudonym for this columnist) is an advice column to advise people on how to deal with their concerns and issues in the most positive way possible. I try my best to ensure that they will make decisions that will help them move forward on the right path. I hope you will write to me, in confidence, seeking my guidance. Just a reminder: I will not disclose any information sent to me. What you write will always remain anonymous. I encourage you to be creative with your usernames and send feedback so that this column will be successful in helping those who seek advice. You can email me at [email protected] or drop a note in our standing metal mailbox outside of the English office. I look forward to reading your letters.

PEDIR Astrid es una columna de consejos para asesorar a las personas sobre cómo tratar mejor sus preocupaciones y problemas.​ Yo hago mi mejor esfuerzo para asegurarme que tu tomes la decicion correcta, ayudarte a avanzar de manera positiva. Yo espero que tu me escribas con confidencia, pidiendo mi ayuda. Un recordatorio, yo no voy a revelar ninguna información que me envies. Lo que tu escribas siempre va a ser anónimo. Te animo a que seas creativo con tus nombres de usuario y envíes comentarios para que esta columna sea exitosa para ayudar a quienes buscan consejos. Correo electrónico a [email protected]. Espero sus cartas.