Ask Astrid – Our Advice Column for Readers: Overwhelmed, Friendless, and Tik-Tok Danger

Dear Astrid,
I’ve been feeling so overwhelmed with school and sports lately, and I never get a break. I just haven’t had a second to breathe, and I feel like I can’t handle this. I haven’t slept well since the summer, and I really need help figuring things out. I really like all my classes, but I can’t handle the workload and my extracurriculars.
Sincerely,
Tired

Dear Tired,
Take a deep breath: everything will be okay. Getting rid of any extracurricular activities you don’t like and are only doing for college would be a really good start. You should start trying to go to bed earlier as well so that you’re getting more sleep and allowing your body to have a break. Try to drop any classes that you find overwhelming so that your workload is more manageable. Additionally, doing your homework early in the day right when you get home from school would be helpful as well so that you have time to relax afterwards. Try to focus on really taking care of yourself, and on non-school days, just relax and focus on the things you like to do whether it’s a TV show you like or just napping all day. Those days are really, really valuable, and I think you need to start putting yourself first. You’re not going to be able to keep going at this pace; you need to stop, take a breath, and really evaluate what’s going on in your life. Taking a deep breath is a good place to start.
-Astrid


Dear Astrid,
I feel like I have no friends, and I just don’t know what to do. I’m alone so much now and I feel like I have no fun. High school wasn’t supposed to be like this, and I really want to make some new friends. I just feel so lonely and isolated.
Feeling very
Alone

Dear Alone,
Making new friends always seems really hard, but I promise it’s not. Some things that might be helpful are joining new clubs or sitting somewhere different than where you sit in class. Talking to your classmates about the assignments in your class might be a good place to start. Another approach is to join an activity or do community service around the schools. I think everybody feels like they have no friends or not good friends multiple times during the year. It’s completely normal, and the high school experience is different for everyone. I think you just need to make it uniquely yours. It should be what you want it to be, and having fun seems like such a hard thing until you do it. Jumping around your room or singing to your favorite song is fun. Going out for food with people you know is fun. You have the power to change your high school experience and make it into something you want. You can do it: I know you can.
-Astrid


Dear Astrid,
I feel like my friends have been taking different Tik-Tok trends really far lately, and it’s really scaring me. They’ve been doing the milk crate challenge, and one of them hurt their ankle, but I don’t think they realize how dangerous it is. I don’t want to be a downer, but these trends are really dangerous, and I don’t want my friends to get hurt.
From,
Scared

Dear Scared,
Tell your friends how you feel. I think that educating yourself and your friends on these dangerous trends is the best way to go about it. There are plenty of trends that don’t hurt anyone; maybe you can suggest doing those. I think communicating with them would be best and maybe branching out to people who hold the same views as you might be good. If you feel uncomfortable with what they’re doing and communicating doesn’t seem to work, distancing yourself from them when they partake in these trends would be good. Your concerns are completely valid and I’m sure other people feel the same way as you do.
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.