Editor’s Note: These questions were gathered from an anonymous account (ask.fm/AskSaraToga) and were then answered to the best of “Sara Toga’s” ability.
Dear Sara, what should I do if I like two guys at once? One of them talks to me a lot, but it seems like he flirts with every girl, but the other is a good friend who doesn’t really make the effort to talk to me a lot.
You won’t know how they feel unless you talk to them. At the very worst, you’ll get shot down, embarrassed beyond measure and transformed into a person too afraid to ever trust another — your friendship will die and you will have completely failed your life. But at least it’s better than never knowing, right? (Hint: the answer is yes, despite common sense.)
Dear Sara, I don’t know who to ask to prom. No matter who I consider, I am scared they will think I have true feelings for them, which is not the case. How can I solve this problem?
Simple. It’s called communication. It solves everything.
Dear Sara, how do I get over my addiction to Trivia Crack? It’s unhealthy.
There are 12 steps to overcome addiction. The first is realizing that you are powerless over your addiction and that your life has become unmanageable.
You are well on your way, my friend.
Do you like waffles? Do you like pancakes? Do you like french toast?
Yeah, we like waffles! Yeah, we like pancakes! Yeah, we like french toast!
This would have been much better if it went in order, don’t you think?
Dear Sara, in your opinion, do you think that this school has a healthy balance between fun and work?
It is absolutely no secret that Saratoga is an academically rigorous school, and there is inevitable stress that comes from such high standards of education. There are definitely times where I have personally felt incredibly overwhelmed, but I also have made some of the best memories of my life at this school. In my experience, I have been able to balance “fun and work.” But it is true that it is hard to find that balance. You have to establish it for yourself. You have to know your breaking point, and you need to find a way stop yourself before you reach it. If you’re looking for ways to relax, joining clubs or participating in school functions can be a great way to be involved at school and hang out with friends and classmates. It’s not easy, but once you can find that balance, it’s much easier to maintain it.
And to be honest, it’s not about cutting back on APs and Honors. If you’re determined to work, then do it; just don’t forget to have some fun from time to time.
Oh wait, I have a better solution. You don’t have a date. I don’t have a date. You get me, and I get you. This is great.
How do I get a 100 percent on my APUSH homework?
Pray. Either that, or chocolates.
Talib Kweli has said that people should engage artists politically but that we shouldn't be disappointed if they "don't give you what you want" in their replies. Do you think artists should use their influence to bring awareness to more social and political issues besides talking about materialism?
An artist’s job is to send us a message. But this doesn’t have to be anything political. That being said, there is never too much publicity for worthy causes, and if an artist chooses to advocate or bring awareness to the problems they believe are important, then kudos to them.
As Oscar Wilde said, “Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” So artists shouldn’t try to live up to someone else’s expectations.