Ask Blair is an advice column run by a GPHS student under the alias of Blair. Its purpose is to provide advice to students in search of it. Keep in mind that your responses will most likely be in the next issue of The Scroll. Scroll below to see the answers for the October questions.
Within the last few years, we launched the advice column Ask Blair! Everything is 100% anonymous, from who sends in submissions, to my own identity. Though I go by Blair for the purpose of the column, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you know me outside of The Scroll. I’m a student at GPHS, just like all of you. My goal for the column is to reach out to you guys and do what I can to help you during your times of trouble. Please keep in mind that your submissions will all be completely anonymous and your name will not be written in any of the issues here, so don’t be afraid to send in questions for next month’s issue! I look forward to writing for you guys in the months to come. Scroll down to enter your own questions for me: Blair!
*A Note from Blair: Since I reach such a wide audience and cater to people of so many different lifestyles and beliefs, it is my goal to remain as unbiased as possible when giving advice. It is for that reason that I ask you to refrain from asking for my personal opinions on politics and the like, as I don't want that to get in the way of being able to help as many people as possible. Thank you for helping me keep Ask Blair! a safe space for everyone!
*Editor's Note: The Scroll's Ask Blair! column is to solely provide advice, care, and support to students in need. We want to hear from you, and we understand that some of the topics that will be discussed will be emotional and sometimes distressing, but this advice column is not meant to be used as an alternative to any sort of professional therapy or counseling.
Thank you 💜
Honestly, I don't think that there should be an age limit on how old you can be to dress up! I mean, I see people of all ages dressed up every year and I rarely ever see people say anything negative about it. It really just depends on how you're feeling, I would say. On another note, I think I see more adults than teenagers dressed up, and that's probably for a number of reasons. I think that a lot of us teens (myself included) tend to be a lot more embarrassed at the thought of dressing up sometimes and so that keeps a lot of us from dressing up some years, which could be where the entire question of "How old can you be to dress up?" stems from, but who knows? I personally think that anyone of any age can dress up. Just have fun with it!
First and foremost...and most importantly: Communication. Don't beat around the bush, don't ghost them, don't make up lies...just be honest and have a genuine conversation with your partner. To be completely and 100% honest, it's probably going to hurt regardless. Breakups suck! And, more often than not, it's going to hurt and there is going to be a period of time afterward where your emotions are running everywhere. I think that thinking about this aftermath is what leads to people ending relationships in less-than-ideal ways. As someone who has been on both ends of a breakup, I've learned that honesty and straightforward conversations make the whole ordeal so much easier, and a lot less messy, too. I've seen so many friends of mine get emotionally destroyed by exes who lied and kept secrets, myself included. If you're worried about hurting their feelings, then that already shows you care about them enough to want to keep them happy, so kudos to you! Time heals most wounds and I promise that that also applies to relationships. Just be open, honest, and straightforward! Don't lie, don't get other people unnecessarily involved, and don't blow things up further than they need to be. Good luck :)
This is definitely a tough one because everybody's situation is different from other people's. I wish I could give an answer here that would effectively work for you and everyone else but, unfortunately, that's not the case. I will try my best, though! First and foremost, I think it's a good idea to wait until you're comfortable in your own identity just on your own first. You're the only one who truly knows yourself and that idea applies here, as well. As someone who has gone through this situation before, I can totally understand how nerve-wracking it is to come out. Luckily, everything you do should be at your own pace. You don't have to rush or feel pressured to come out before you're ready. In my own personal experience, I waited for about a year and a half before coming out to anyone and, when I finally did, it was only to my very closest friends first. Having people close to you that you trust can be a good stepping stone! Of course, this doesn't have to be the same for you. Maybe you want to tell your parents first. Whoever it might be, having a close and trusting relationship with them is very important. After that, you can go as fast or as slow as you want to. Unfortunately, there are always going to be people who oppose and feel negatively about your identity, but the process of coming out is a lot easier if you focus on the people who care and love you. Those people are going to be the ones that make you feel even more comfortable in yourself. Again, this advice may not work for everybody, but this was the best advice I could think of, speaking from personal experience and my friends' experiences. I hope everything works out and that you find solidarity and happiness within yourself!
