Our bonus feature this week is Part 2 of the video interviews with school administrators about our most frequently asked questions. We have one more issue to go until the end of the trimester. Even though our submission link has now closed, we've saved some of the best letters for last. Enjoy!
Dear Mask,
Some time ago, you wrote a credible account on the crust condition of a common consumable [Issue 8, from "Toast Esquire II"]. I commend your commentary, but contest your conclusion as you conveniently failed to consider a crucial characteristic: the structural stability of the sandwich. So as I snack on my sandwich, say simply, should this supreme source of sustenance smush subtly or save shape? Save my sanity and state the solution!
Sincerely,
Sandwich Squire
Arenas de la Bruja, CA
Dear Sandwich Squire,
Sounds like you’re in a pickle! You’ve pointed out a powerful problem, and your passion is appreciated here at our pandemic advice column. Please be patient so I can point out the potential for a powerful perimeter for your sandwich. Is your sandwich so soft that it smushes instantaneously without the structural stability of a crust? See, your frustration is formed from the fact that your bread is too fresh! If after purchase you fling it in the fridge for a fortnight, the bread’s surface will become as stiff as a slate of sheet metal. Even without the crust, your sandwich will never surrender its shape or structure. But because of this, it may be best to bite your bread bit by bit.
Bon appetit!
The Mask
Dear Mask,
My problem is my brother. He got Covid, and now we all have to quarantine. He’s always a big problem, and it’s so annoying, I just can’t with him. So now I have to quarantine, but I really hoped we could just lock him away and never see him again. Well, that’s my problem.
Sincerely,
Bec
Haleiwa, Hawaii
Dear Bec,
You’re right about one thing: You do have a problem. Seriously, what is your problem?! What kind of person disrespects their sibling who has just gotten a life-threatening virus?! Maybe it hasn’t occurred to you that he’s the one with the more serious problem, and your job, as his sibling, is to support him through it. Quarantining is the least you can do. Hopefully you never get Covid, but if you do, you’ll be lucky if your brother lifts a finger to help you.
Enjoy your lockdown,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I have a pretty big problem. My father is smoking (vaping, not real cigarettes), and he always hides it from me and my mom. Here is an example: When we were out, and I was far away from my dad, he smoked, and then I asked why he put his hand to his mouth. He told me that his mouth hurt. Is there a way to convince my dad to stop vaping? Both my mom and I have already asked him to stop, but he just ignored both of us. Please respond asap. I want to help.
Sincerely,
Worried Kid
San Jose, CA
Dear Worried Kid,
I bet this is hard. I get where you're coming from; one of my close family members used to vape, and it was not fun for me and my family. It's hard for someone to stop. I'm sure he wants to, but he is having trouble stopping. Since you and your mom are getting worried about it, maybe you could talk to a doctor about strategies to help someone ease off of vaping or smoking. It is hard when a family member is doing something that is bad for their health. I hope things go well for you and your mom and your dad.
Good luck,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I'm in a tricky situation. Over quarantine, I started to become closer friends with the guys in my grade, and we played some video games together. Then, after most of us came back to school, they started ignoring me since they didn't want to be seen with me at school. I tried my best to keep whatever friendship we had during the weeks of online school, but now, I'm afraid it just wasn't worth it. What should I do for them to like me again?
Sincerely,
Friendless Frenzy
San Jose, CA
Dear Friendless Frenzy,
I’m so sorry to hear that. Think about it this way: If they don't want to hang out at school, they might not be a good friend. What makes you want to be friends with them? If you thought they were nice, they’ve now revealed their true colors. Try talking with them to see if there is something wrong. But honestly, you might be happier making new friends who aren’t so afraid of what other people think. As the Greatest Showman said, “You don't need everyone to love you, just a good few people.”
With friendship,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
Covid has been getting better, but I’m not. My room is a complete mess and I just watch it get worse every day because I have no motivation. It's also like this with homework. I look at it every day, all of my missing assignments, and I try to do something but I can't. How can I help this?
Sincerely,
Person with No Motivation
San Jose, CA
Dear Person with No Motivation,
I understand how difficult this must be for you. You feel like you have no motivation to do things you used to do all the time. I have a few suggestions. You could try to set a goal for yourself and reward yourself when you meet the goals. This is a good way to be on track while gaining some motivation. The goals could be anything, whether it's cleaning your room for ten minutes or finishing an assignment from a few weeks ago. If you are having trouble with school and that’s why you are not completing your assignments, you should try talking to your teachers and figuring out something that will work better for you so you can have more motivation to finish your assignments. I hope this works for you and I wish you the best!
Good luck,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I have a new carpet that I got and it's pink. My mom thinks pink is still my favorite color. She wont stop buying me pink stuff! How do I tell her to stop?
Sincerely,
Miss Gurl
San Jose, CA
Dear Miss Gurl,
I know how you feel. You can start giving your mom hints that pink is not your favorite color, or you can tell her straight on. You have to be gentle with it because she is just trying to be nice and make you happy. Try saying something like this: “Hi, Mom. Thank you for all the pink stuff that you have been giving me. I love them and can’t wait to use the new rug. In the future, may I please pick out my own stuff? I think that I want more of a variety of colors. Even though I want a new variety of colors, I am flattered that you remembered that pink was one of my favorite colors. This does not mean that I do not want your help picking out new stuff, though, and you pick out such cool stuff for me. Thank you for everything!”
It’s all about the pink!
The Mask
Dear Mask,
It has been really hard for me to navigate going back to in-person school and still having school online. It is hard for me to focus when I’m online, and I wish there was a way to make sure I am always on top of things.
Sincerely,
Unfocused School Kid
Eagle, Idaho
Dear Unfocused School Kid,
I know how you feel. I was going to school hybrid for a while, and at one point I was also struggling to stay on top of things. Here are some things I did that might help you, too. The first thing I did was start using a planner. I wrote down all of my assignments and things I needed to do and their due date so I would stay on task. Another thing that helped me is for about an hour after school, I put all my distractions, like my phone, iPad, etc., into another room and focused on my school work. I also understand how it can be hard to focus when using a computer. Something that helped me is that my best friend and I often study together, so we both help each other stay on topic. I hope this helps!
Good luck,
The Mask
Dear Mask,
I am very irritated because recently my brothers have been annoying me. I am the only girl in my family, and I feel constantly annoyed by how immature my brothers are (even though one may or may not be older than I am). Do you have any advice on how to make them stop annoying me?
Sincerely,
rachelaverygonazalaz
San Jose, CA
Dear rachelaverygonazalaz,
I totally understand where you are coming from. Siblings are hard to deal with. They purposely try to annoy you for attention. Brothers are often the most immature ones. I get that it's hard considering you are the only girl; that's never fun. Maybe try telling your brothers how you feel. But I know that is probably hard, considering the fact that they are immature boys who won’t take you seriously. So maybe try telling a parent or guardian about how your brothers are acting and see if they can help. The good news is that they will probably grow out of their immaturity in a few years.
Good luck!
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.
