Advice Column

Getting Along With Different Types Of People

By: Autumn McMahan 

In middle school, you will meet all kinds of people, and not everyone will act or think the same way you do. One way to get along with different classmates is to stay open-minded. Try to listen before assuming someone is being rude or annoying. Another tip is to focus on what you do have in common, like classes, hobbies, or school events. If a classmate has a different personality, you don’t have to become best friends, but being respectful makes school a lot easier. In the end, treating people kindly usually makes them treat you the same way. And when you stay calm and patient, you help make the whole classroom have a better environment.

Listen Up!! How To Stay Out of Choices!

 By Trevor Hobart

Let me tell you from my experience; being in trouble isn’t fun, it’s mostly just sitting there, doing your work, being bored, and going home. So I'll tell you how to stay out of trouble in school.

Staying out of trouble in school mostly comes down to making good choices and paying attention to what’s happening around you. School has rules for a reason, and when you understand them, it becomes much easier to avoid problems. The most basic expectations are simple; respect teachers, follow directions, and keep your conflicts/problems under control. When you know what’s allowed and what isn’t, you can avoid things that might get you in trouble. Most rules are in place to keep us safe and not meant to make being at school difficult. 

The people you hang out with also matter. Friends can have a big impact on your behavior, whether you notice it or not. If you spend time with people who like to start fights or break rules, there’s a good chance you’ll get pulled into it. Choosing friends who stay out of trouble helps you stay focused and keeps your school days a lot calmer.

Learning how each teacher works to help you, can help too. Every teacher has their own teaching style and classroom expectations. Some expect quiet, some care more about effort, and others just want everyone to be respectful. When you understand what your teacher expects of you, it becomes easier to have a better day, and not get in trouble.

Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is mind your own business. Not every argument, dare, or situation needs your attention. Walking away from things is often the easiest and better choice. It keeps you from getting blamed for something you didn’t do. It really is important to start making choices about your friends, your environment, and your future once we are in middle school. 

Let me just tell you that when it comes to spending time in ISS, that isn’t exactly fun. Sure Mr. LeMasters can be a nice enough guy and he is really good at understanding kids as well as the things we go through. However, ISS is boring and freedom is non-existent. Mr. LeMasters can also make life hard and be as difficult as you make it while you're in ISS. If you are hard to get along with or don’t follow rules while in there, he can make ISS be the worst, most long days ever. 

By the time we are in middle school, we really should know how to behave. Sure mistakes happen and everyone is going to make mistakes. What we shouldn’t be doing is acting worse in middle school than we did in elementary school. Think back, would your elementary school teachers be proud of you for that? 

I hope this helps you stay out of trouble. :  )

Are You Still Friends After a Breakup?

By:Avery Sarvis

Everyone knows about all middle school relationships. In middle school,not that many relationships last. So,I'm going to talk about if it’s a good idea to remain friends or not and how to deal with situations like this. If you don’t want to be friends at all with this person after ya’ll break up that is perfectly fine but I do not recommend giving them dirty looks and talking bad about them because this will just create more drama. If the other person still wants to be friends and still talks to you then don’t ignore them because you don’t want to make them feel bad. 

Now,I’m going to talk about how to become friends again after a breakup if you want to. First of all, you need to remember that you might not become friends right after and it will be a little awkward and that’s okay. Eventually, try to create small talk with them either in person or over text. Now this doesn’t mean you have to talk to them everyday but you can just bring up random topics and if you pass each other in the hallway, you could simply say hey. It’s perfectly fine if you are nervous about talking to them but trust me, eventually yall’s friendship will build back up again. I know this from a personal experience and I know that this situation is hard but I hope this advice will help you.