Our bonus feature this week is "Ask The Mask, By the Numbers," a look into the letters we've received in our digital mailbag over the seven weeks we've been open for business so far, compiled by two of our staff writers, Dhruv and Rohan. Also, congratulations to the fifth grade visitors who helped our staff write the first two responses in this issue!
For those who are visiting for the first time: "The Mask" is a group of middle school students eager to help with your dilemmas related to the pandemic. If you're a middle school student and would like The Mask to give you advice, please fill out this anonymous form. If we don't get to yours right away, keep checking back because it might appear in a future issue.
Dear Mask,
I have previously only gotten A grades, occasionally a B or two. Recently I got my first and only F. Immediately after this happened, my parents began constantly yelling at me and scolding me, rather harshly instructing me to correct my grade, when I was already doing that. I am fully aware of everything that is happening, I'm not clueless, but they act like I'm oblivious to my problems. Advice?
Sincerely,
Stressed-Out Idiot
San Jose, CA
Dear Stressed-Out Idiot,
You aren’t the only one with slipping grades; many people go through this at some point. Here’s some advice to help you get your grades up. You can take some extra time to study and do assignments. You can try emailing your teachers and actively try to find ways to bring your grade up as quickly as possible. Tell your parents you are taking these steps so that they stop yelling at you. Make sure you aren’t overworking yourself, though; it’s good to take some breaks. Even though your parents might be frustrated, I know you have the capability to bring your grades up. Good luck!
No pressure!
The Mask
Dear Mask,
The popular kids at school don't like me very much, to the point where they basically hate me. I used to joke around about how "everyone hates me" and my friends and I would laugh. Even though I started the joke, recently my friends have been using it more and more to put me down. "There's the girl that everyone hates!" And stuff. Although it's a joke, I'm so done with everyone hating me. What do I do to stop the jokes, and even more importantly, get people to like me?
Sincerely,
Joking Jill
San Francisco, CA
Dear Joking Jill,
I know many people have had this issue. Things that start as a joke go in the wrong direction. One thing to remember is that there are probably people who don’t hate you and friends you can talk to. One thing you could do is try talking to your friends about how the jokes are making you feel, and ask them to please stop. If they don’t stop, you could try making some new friends who don’t make jokes like that. You could try talking to your parents, teacher, or another trusted adult about this, too, so they can help.
I believe in you!
The Mask
Dear Mask,
One of the good things during this pandemic is that I finally know what to be when I grow up: a politician! A congresswoman, to be exact. During this election, I realized I had a really big passion for this subject, and I've been following politics and watching the news with my parents non-stop. I've become fascinated with the world of politics, views, and problems. Heck, I want to be the next Kamala Harris! One of the things that really got me going is that there has never been a woman president, and only now is there a woman vice president. There really aren't as many women in politics as there should be. I've read articles and watched videos on how difficult it is for a woman to run for office or really be taken seriously, because they are held to higher standards. They need to be lots more qualified than men to prove that they can be just as good. I'm a feminist, and really passionate about this topic. But I feel whenever I talk about this in class, it starts to get awkward. Even though I've said stuff on this topic, I don't feel comfortable sharing most of what's on my mind on this subject, even though I have a desperation to. I'm afraid of how some people will react and think of me when I say things. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud to be a feminist, but after certain reactions and comments about women’s empowerment and stuff in that alley from people in my grade, I feel a desperate need to say what I want to say, but I don't know how to say my feelings properly, in a way that will be respected by everyone. Should I just keep these thoughts to myself? Thanks for your help.
Sincerely,
Flustered Feminist
San Jose, CA
Dear Flustered Feminist,
I understand your frustrations. The government is not representative of who actually lives in our country. I also understand how you feel about getting judged for what you believe. I know how hard it is when someone disagrees with what you think. It can make you feel bad. If you believe in something so strongly, you shouldn't let what other people think put you down or make you doubt yourself. If or when you do say something, you don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, like you said. Since you want to be the next Kamala Harris, you could look for videos of her when she was in the Senate and learn from what she said and how she would respond to questions from the media that put her in a tough situation. You can learn from the vice president’s mistakes and successes: What did she do right? What did she do wrong? If you feel like your peers who are saying things that are putting you down aren't stopping, it might be a good idea to find some people who either agree with you or who won't put you down, and practice with them what you want to say. When your peers are saying disrespectful things, you might want to confront them; otherwise they will have no motivation to stop. For situations in class, your teacher can also help you deal with those people. I know you can overcome this problem.
Go feminism!
The Mask
Dear Mask,
My sister always comes in and annoys me. She tries to say hi to my friends and teachers during Zoom class. Any ways to fix this?
Annoyed Brother
San Jose, CA
Dear Annoyed Brother,
I understand your situation; I also have a little sister who is just about 10 times more annoying than yours, just to put it out there… But anyway… What you should do is talk to a parent to ask her to stop. She might listen to them more than she listens to you. You could also ask your sister directly to stop doing the things that annoy you. Or ask for a different room to do your Zoom classes.
Ssssssh,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I got back from a hike to find out that one of my siblings got the virus. I now have to spend ALL my days at home for the next two weeks! I won't get to see my friends at school! I also don't really know what to do if you share the same house with someone that has the virus. I'm very upset that I have to stay home and do everything virtual AND share a house with someone with the virus. What should I do?
Upset Sibling
San Jose, CA
Dear Upset Sibling,
That situation isn’t good. However, you can still make the best out of it. Even though you can’t see your friends at school, you can still hang out with them virtually. I would suggest FaceTiming, playing a video game, or even watching a movie with them. All three of these can be fun options that can keep your friends safe. To keep yourself safe, I would wear a mask when you aren’t in your bedroom, wash your hands before eating or touching your face, and maintain as much distance from your infected siblings as possible.
Stay healthy!
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I have been experiencing lots of internal turmoil about sandwiches. I love making sandwiches and I can never decide whether to have crusts or cut them out. Thoughts?
Sincerely,
Toast Esquire II
San Jose, CA
Dear Toast Esquire II,
That is a really hard dilemma, those crusts. Well, if you take off the crust then you don't get all the protein, scientifically speaking. Also, by taking the crust off you waste a lot. But if you use it to make bread crumbs, that gives you many crumbs. What I would do is cut half of the crust off so you get the best of both worlds. Did you know that scientists have discovered that bread crumbs are a great substitute for sugar? You could make bread crumb cookies instead of sugar cookies! Wait, I just got another idea… Life hacks says that you can fix your iPhone screen with toothpaste. You might be able do the same thing with bread crumbs.
Moistly,
The Mask
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Almaden Country Day School. Any content provided by our bloggers or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to replace parental or professional advice.
