Our bonus feature this week is Part 1 of a video interview our staff writers Nick and Mike conducted with three school administrators, to get their advice about the most frequently asked questions in our mailbag. Stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon!
Thank you to everyone who suggested songs for our letter-writer Gerald Gerald to blast at his mom! Your top ideas were: "Oh Potato Dog," songs from Julie and the Phantoms, "the muffin song from sixth grade," and of course this classic. Gerald Gerald, whoever you are, let us know if any of these work!
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,
My dad just got a Covid shot today, which means he has a small amount of Covid. Should I worry about it?
Sincerely,
Covid Crazy
San Jose, CA
Dear Covid Crazy,
I understand your concern. Soon lots of people will be getting the vaccine: parents, grandparents, and so many more people. Luckily, you don't have to worry. The Covid vaccine does not contain any live virus. This means that when you get the shot you don't have any of the virus itself. What you do get are the antibodies that build up in your immune system to prevent you from getting Covid-19. If you're worried about the side effects, they do occur occasionally, but most of the time they are minor, such as a headache or a sore arm. There is nothing you should worry about, but if your dad is in discomfort, according to the CDC he should talk to his doctor about taking ibuprofen or other pain killers. The CDC also provides more information on how the vaccine works, why it's safe, and just about everything else you could wonder. I hope this helps your confusion.
Congratulations!
The Mask
Dear Mask,
It's hard to pay attention during class with all the things around you. It's too easy to just start going on your phone and texting people. I'm starting to have trouble catching important info in classes. Any help or tips on how to focus during class?
Sincerely,
Struggling Listener
San Jose, CA
Dear Struggling Learner,
I know how it feels when it is hard to pay attention. It is good you are noticing that you are having trouble and want to fix it. You should remove your phone and any other distractions from the room. And fresh air and exercise can help. You can also try setting a goal for yourself to ask more questions or volunteer in class more so you can stay involved. For me, goals help me stay motivated to keep trying and doing my best.
Stay focused!
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I never look forward to school days anymore. Before quarantine, I woke up early, ready for another exciting day with my friends, but now I sleep in, knowing that all that lies ahead of me is six hours of mindlessly sitting in front of a computer screen. I try to do other things during class while listening (like drawing, researching, and self-care), but it's still so boring. Do you have any tips on how I can make life worth looking forward to?
Sincerely,
Depressed
San Jose, CA
Dear Depressed,
I know exactly what you mean. Quarantine is so hard, especially when we have to do school online and stare blankly at a screen for 5-7 hours, five days a week. No wonder you are so tired and can’t focus. I would suggest rearranging your sleep schedule. You could add 30 minutes to an hour more of sleep, so if you usually go to bed at 12:00, just go to bed at 11:00 or 11:30. But after that, if you see no difference at all, then I think you should talk to a parent. Maybe there’s a way for you to connect with your friends offline. I get that you aren’t having the best time during the pandemic and online learning. But soon you will be back in school. It may seem like a long time, but you will be back in no time.
Hang in there,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I barely ever get to see my best friend anymore since she isn't at in-person school. But now, whenever I see her, she is always telling me about what fun things she did with another close friend of hers. That friend of hers is always very rude to me, but my friend won’t hear a word against her. I have been close friends with my best friend for a long time and I don't want someone to come between us. How can I make sure that this relationship stays alive?
Sincerely,
Hurt and Trying BFF
[location unknown]
Dear Hurt and Trying BFF,
You can talk to her every day. It’s as easy as texting or emailing. You can talk to her about stuff you have in common and what’s going on in your lives. Remember also that your friend is going to have other friends, too, just like you are going to have other friends. It’s just how it works sometimes. But if your best friend refuses to hear the truth about her other friend, that may be a sign that she’s not the BFF you need right now.
Good luck,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
My friend is always making rude comments to me and putting me down. It's really getting on my nerves and it hurts, but they are the type of person to not care about my feelings. I can't not be friends with her because our school is small. What do I do?
Sincerely,
Sad
San Jose, CA
Dear Sad,
I am sure many people have or have had this problem. Losing a friend or having your friends turn against you is a common but terrible thing that happens. If your friend is putting you down, then I think you shouldn’t be friends with her. Even if your school is small, there must be at least one other person to hang out with. Try to make a new friend at your school. But I had a friend like this, and I just talked to her. I know it's going to be hard, but take some time in your day to talk to her and tell her what you have been thinking. If she doesn’t think much of it, then move on; you don’t need to waste your time on a friend who doesn’t care for you. Because if they don’t, then they aren’t much of a friend.
Hoping for the best,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
My best friend moved away to [another country] last year and I really miss her. I have her email; she just doesn't check her email a lot because in [her country], everything is back to normal. For example, I never would have gotten a phone to text friends if Covid hadn't hit. I don't know what to do. I really miss her.
Sincerely,
Worried Friend
San Jose, CA
Dear Worried Friend,
That’s a sad story. There are some options you can explore. The first one would be having your parents contact her parents. You could get in touch with them. You could also try making new friends at home, just to not worry you as much, while you wait for your best friend to make contact.
Good luck,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I'm wondering how we can continue to include our at-home learners (I mean friends) in more social-type stuff. Some of our students (I mean kids) have been bringing out their laptops at lunch for them to hang out, but I wonder if there are other ways we could include them as well.
Sincerely,
Not Mr. Adams (but somebody else who kind of sounds like him but is still anonymous)
Yonkers, NY
Dear Not Mr. Adams,
You’re right: Now that some of us are back at school, we still want to include everyone in what we are doing at school. The idea of students bringing their friends with them virtually on the laptops is great. I also have a few more suggestions. Google Hangouts is a fun way to instantly message your friends who are at home; you shouldn't be using it during class, but it's great for after school. Some people I know have started online book clubs. It's a great way for everyone to stay busy and get to see friends even if it's just virtually. I hope this helps kids get some more ideas for how you can stay in contact with the at-home learners.
Stay connected!
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I was reading your column and grew very concerned about that laptop that fell from the window [in Issue 1]. Do you know if it's okay? Does the computer still work?
Sincerely,
Concerned Reader
[location unknown]
Dear Concerned Reader,
I am glad that you're so empathetic, but Ask The Mask is not like texting. Our letters are submitted anonymously, so we don’t know how to get in touch with these people and cannot follow up with them. However, if that writer is reading this and wants to send us an update, we will publish it!
Just setting boundaries,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
The state of the nation is very upsetting to me. We have so many issues circulating right now, and the most distressing one is the national popcorn crisis. Like, sometimes my popcorn tastes fine with salt and butter, and sometimes it tastes like a dead bird. I can't keep track of all my popcorn brands because I need to go through as many popcorn brands as possible. It's my life's work. I need good popcorn and I need recommendations for good popcorn. This is serious and of great importance to my mental health.
Sincerely,
Fish
San Jose, CA
Dear Fish,
Popcorn is very tricky to understand. It's either the best food or the worst. We all know that movie theater popcorn is the best, but just about every movie theater is closed right now. I recommend just going onto Amazon and buying every brand of popcorn you see. Even better, just start your own popcorn company! In fact, I already have a name idea: The Popcorn That Doesn’t Taste Like Dead Bird. Pretty catchy, huh? After you have started your own popcorn company and tried all the popcorn in the world, you must write a book so that you can tell others what you found. To organize your popcorn, I recommend getting a binder and shoving each type of popcorn in the binder. If all fails, you still have dead bird popcorn waiting for you when you get home.
Please credit me in the book’s acknowledgements!
The Mask
Are you ready to write to The Mask? Here's the anonymous form. Check back soon for a new issue of Ask The Mask!
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.
