Dear Sandy,

Who is Sandy?

Dear Nosey Nellie, 

Hi, I’m Sandy. I work for the East High School Newspaper. Through this Google Form, you can ask me for advice about anything, because this is completely anonymous. Since you want to know so much about my life, here are some facts about me: my favorite drink is a double espresso, my favorite color is plum, my favorite food is sashimi and I did competitive roller derby until I tore my meniscus. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWEFHH9zj4sDvCR96YkmQILt12oGkZsuKeRNrBmeykFAi6eQ/viewform?usp=pp_url

Keep in touch, 

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

Hey, so I’ve been getting SILE and referrals for being like two minutes late to my first hour and no other hour, but I’ve heard from mostly every other student that a lot of the times, the person who gives referrals overlooks their tardies and doesn’t do anything about it (seems like a favoritism problem to me), but there’s also about every single student saying that it’s better to skip the whole class overall because they don’t get consequences, and to me that’s just ridiculous. 

Dear Trying to do the Right Thing, 

Depending on whether or not your issue is in your control, try talking to your teacher. Most teachers will understand and try to help. You are correct that skipping classes is a bad idea because there are only so many classes you can skip before you become truant. Even if you do not get a consequence right away, it will catch up with you later for missing whole class periods. Your consequence may not come through discipline, but you may get a bad grade or miss out on learning something evident to getting a good grade. 

Keep in touch, 

Sandy 

Hey Sandy,

I’m having some boy issues. I really need help. I’m stuck between two boys: my ex and a situation-ship that has been going on since July. I don’t miss my ex, but I miss the attention he gave me, and the situation-ship guy does give me attention, just not as frequently, but I really like him. He’s taller than me and super cute! My ex, on the other hand, is shorter than me and is a solid 7/10. My ex and I have been through a lot. Who do I pick, Sandy?

Dear Love Triangle, 

I think it’s in your best interest to stay with the situation-ship. It doesn’t seem like you enjoy being with your ex, or that you like his personality. It’s okay to want attention, but that shouldn’t be the reason why you go back into a relationship. Unless you’re unhappy with your situation-ship, it seems like the best idea to stay in it. You and your ex broke up for a reason.

Keep in touch, 

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

How many students are associated with the East newspaper?

Dear Curious Cat, 

Great question! We have 21 students on East’s newspaper, though not all of us write. Some of us are photographers or photojournalists! Unfortunately, the amount of students on newspaper has gone down, but if you enjoy writing and taking pictures, try newspaper, I recommend it! 

Keep in touch, 

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

Should take a fourth year of a course in ASL, or should I just drop it?

Dear Multi-lingual, 

I would suggest taking a fourth year of ASL. It helps to continue your fluency in a language if you spend the time practicing every day. Students who take more than the minimum requirement of a foreign language appeal more to college admissions. That said, I also think that your decision should also be based on if you enjoy the class. If you are not liking the class, then you shouldn’t continue, but if you are, then take a fourth year. According to ASL 4 students, the fourth year really helps to make you feel comfortable with signing in day to day situations and is really fun. 

Keep in touch,

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

How do I let go of anger? I know it’s going to eat me from the inside out… I just can’t forgive people for how deeply they hurt me, or forgive myself for letting people treat me that way for so long… I didn’t have much control over the situation, as it was abuse from my guardians, and I was a kid… But I have so much anger built up… I don’t want to carry this around with me anymore. It’s draining, and I don’t like the type of person I know it will turn me into. What can I do to forgive or let go of this, not for them, but for me?

Dear Angry and Hurting,

You should know that anger is a natural thing that happens to us all, but especially after Covid-19, our ability to deal with conflict has suffered. The first step to letting go of anger is discovering  what is making you upset. A good idea is to talk to a friend or trusted adult about what is causing your anger. Another idea to let go of anger is to forgive, even if you cannot tell them in person. You also need to forgive yourself, because whatever happened to you is something that occurred in the past; it does not define who you are now. If you cannot forgive them for the harm they caused you, maybe consider letting them go out of your life. 

Keep in touch, 

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

Between men and women, why do we argue with who has it worse when it comes to our lives? Of course with everything, everyone has their own problems in life. That doesn’t mean we should talk about who had it worse. However, if somebody comes up to me and says how being a boy is harder than it might be for women, I’m going to disagree with that statement. Does this make me a bad person, or does this make me a Feminist?

Dear Potential Feminist,

Assuming that your question is if you are a bad person if you disagree with someone’s opinion on which gender has it worse, no, you are not a bad person. I do not know who you are, so I don’t know if you are a feminist, but disagreeing with someone’s opinion doesn’t make you a feminist. Obviously, as a woman, I have always felt that women have it harder than men, but that is just one perspective. Don’t be afraid to ask others your question, because the more points of view you have, the more informed your opinion will be. That said, I think that we all deal with personal things in our lives, so between men and women, we shouldn’t compete over who has it worse, because we all deal with different challenges. However, it can’t be ignored that sexism is still prevalent in today’s society. 

Keep in touch, 

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

What should I do in a verbally and mentally abusive relationship?

Dear Troubled, 

My first suggestion would be to break up with them, but I know it is not always that easy. You need to know that you should not blame yourself for their actions, regardless of if you said or did something. You need to prioritize yourself and your feelings. Do not try to fix them yourself. You can encourage them to seek professional help, but typically, abusers do not change their behavior by themselves. Follow your instincts, especially if you think that your partner will physically hurt you. If you decide to break up, cut off all communication with them. Opening up about your experience can be scary, but talking to someone, like a friend or trusted adult, will help you move on. 

Keep in touch, 

Sandy