Ask Acronym: The Answers, Part I

Ask Acronym is back! You’ve all been waiting patiently, and now the first batch of questions have been answered. Many of the questions have not been answered yet, and if yours has not been answered, don’t worry, because we’ll answer them next time! But for now, enjoy these freshly released answers to your dilemma:

1. How do I get someone to like me?

It really depends on what type of person you are!

If you’re very confident in your abilities and you’re fairly certain that the other person will like you back, then just keep on doing what you’re doing. But if you’re anything like me, you have no idea how to act around your crush, and it seems like all your senses have gone out the window.

In that case, I suggest you take it slow. Seriously though. If you’re not even friends with the person yet, I suggest getting to know them – maybe through mutual friends, clubs, or even a casual conversation at Sodexo. (Of course, you can just hit em’ up on messenger, but that’s kinda strange if you’ve never even had a conversation with them.) After you’ve moved on to the friend stage, you can aim to spend more time with them, just doing homework, studying for a test – just casual stuff. And if you REALLY want to try, you can put a little more glam to your outfits or do whatever that makes you feel more confident in yourself, because if you feel proud, your crush will be sure to feel that too ;)

After spending some time with them and getting to know them better, make a move! Say that cheesy line you’ve been saving for decades or show them that you care about them, just a little bit more than anyone else. But make sure you don’t overburden them! There’s a fine line between being too much and being very considerate. Hopefully you don’t have to do this for long, because your crush will soon realize their feelings for you too :)

2. I am unsure why I am at IMSA.

I’m glad you asked, because I don’t think many of us could have ever related to you more. I was on this same ride this time last year, and I know how hard it is because I’ve been through it.

When I had this issue, my head was bursting from the stress of IMSA, and it was not even primarily the schoolwork. I missed my family, my friends from home, and the whole atmosphere of my home; I was struggling to find my place at IMSA but however hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to be as happy at IMSA compared to my old school. It was frustrating to see so many of my peers enjoying IMSA, appreciating it so much more than where they came from. But I wasn’t, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re finding yourself having frequent breakdowns, being in constant unhappiness, and finding yourself reacting negatively to everything in your wake. It took me some time and some friends to get me through it.

But to save you some time, I’ll let you in on some good advice from my personal experience. I suggest you spread your wings as far as possible – join as many clubs that interest you and talk to anyone and everyone that you want to know better. Try finding a place to let out your passion, and instead of trying to find reasons you don’t have to be here, try to find reasons on why this place is good for you, albeit how minuscule they may be as of now. And as cliche as this may sound, try to become a generally more positive person; try to embrace everything with a sense of optimism. This may not be a lot now, but I assure you, after some time, you’ll see the changed person you’ve become. But most importantly, I want you to keep this in mind: There are so many other people that are going through the EXACT same problem as you are, although they might not admit it. Just remember, you’re not alone on this ride, and so many are battling this with you and have battled it already. As a veteran of this rocky ride, I wish you good luck; it will be tough, but worth it in the end.

3. I need a date for prom, can I take you?

Woah. Is this serious or are you just being silly? If you were being serious, you’re in luck, because I interviewed Acronym members on whether they want to go to prom with you or not:

Irena: Hmmm, yes.

Parth: …yes

Henry: No…wait yes! (winky face)

Alana: Sure!

Abhay: To a random person? No…

Charles: If they took me to dinner first…

Oh, and me? Uh…sure!

And that wraps up our responses to your question. Now, it’s your turn to ask ;)

4. What is it like being on StudCo?

Generally, individuals on StudCo manage a wealth of tasks, whether they may be a Hall Senator or a Sophomore at large. They help coordinate events, clubs, hear voices of IMSA, and work to keep our school as best as it could be. But to give you a bit more insight, I interviewed a member on StudCo, and here’s what they said: 

“Joining StudCo was one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made. Not only have I met some amazing people, taken part in fascinating conversations, and taken steps to improve our campus, but I’ve learned so much about myself and have grown immensely. I never would have been the type to actually attempt enacting change or making my ideas public. StudCo has given me an outlet to work on my public speaking and critical thinking skills, and it has taught me that I one day want to do work similar to what I do on StudCo now. At times, working on StudCo can be frustrating because it’s easy for projects to fail or be unfeasible. But StudCo has taught me how to resolve such problems and move past them. Most importantly, StudCo has given me the opportunity to really appreciate the work I put in. I never would’ve imagined that seeing a few teachers and students wearing green wristbands in the middle of February could brighten my day. I never would’ve imagined seeing a few teachers at a hall event would make my night. But they have. The hours of meetings, thinking, grappling with administration and students, and late nights are worth it when I see that my projects impact students. I love this campus, and if anything, StudCo has helped me realize that. But instead of settling, it’s provided me with the invaluable opportunity to make it better. And for that, I am eternally grateful.”

After hearing this, my personal insight on StudCo shifted a bit, along with my gratitude for it as well. I hope you find this helpful in knowing what it’s like to be on StudCo.

5. Do you guys have tips for getting to know people that you don’t have classes or clubs with, because there’s some people I want to know better but I’m not close enough to like ask them to hang so it feels like an almost-buds situation?

I know a lot of people say that they have “friend-crushes,” or people that you want to be friends with, but don’t really know how to. It’s kind of like having a crush, but with a friend. If this is your case, I suggest you try to find mutual friends to help you in getting to talk to them. If you run into them at Sodexo, sitting with some of your friends, just sit there and strike up a conversation! Or if you’re ever needing to publicize your club events or need more people to join fundraisers, don’t be afraid to reach out to them, with aims of promoting your cause AND getting to know them. They won’t think it’s strange, because they know you’re reaching out for a reason. If you really want to get to know someone, but all these options are not in your favor, I suggest to go with the good ol’ dinner date. Just ask your friends to ask the person, and it’ll be a good time to get to know them, albeit how unnatural it may seem. I hope at least one of these options will work, but at the end of the day, the best way might be the most awkward of all – striking up a random conversation on one of the the most random days.

6. My friends’ mental health issues are negatively affecting my life. I really want to be there for them, and I know that they are all currently seeking help and speaking with adults & counselors. Still, they tell me a lot, and it’s just too much for me to handle. What should I do?

Wow. I think it’s amazing how you’re helping out your friends to your best ability. They must be very relieved and blessed to have a friend like you. But now, I think it’s time to look back at yourself – your own scars and your own stresses. I suggest you to talk to them about it – how you’re feeling and how much you care about them too. Tell them that sometimes, you want to talk about different things and share lighter thoughts. Of course, reassure them that you’re always here to talk, but make sure they know you are indeed a human being and you can naturally get affected by what they discuss with you. After a while, I promise you it’ll get better and your stresses will be lifted from your chest like they weren’t there. Be strong – I know you can do it.

—

That’s it for the first batch of answers! I hope we’ve relieved some sense of your dilemma with this short 5-minute break you may be taking. We’ll release our next batch of answers soon, so make sure to stay tuned for that!

P.S. Submit MORE questions!