Dear Coley – March Submissions

I have lots of fun when I do this, though I feel a little ridiculous sometimes, mainly because it’s something different. I generally have a lot of trouble ‘reading’ others and understanding what they’re thinking and feeling, and this is a way for me to gain some insight on those around me as well as offer a little bit of help if I can. – Love Coley

How do you separate yourself from negative energy? -Brianna

By being more firm. People (and sometimes things too) that carry negative energy tend to latch themselves onto more positive or neutral people, and sometimes it’s hard to get them to back off. If it’s a person, set your boundaries and detach. If you’re not used to doing that, it might feel mean, but it’s crucial to prioritize yourself in any situation. If it’s something else giving you that negative energy and you can’t seem to break away, try again and again. Even if you try 300 more times it’s bound to work eventually. Not only this, but keep away from any people or other things associated with the negative energy source. – Love, Coley.

What should new incoming students expect at ace – Anonymous

I’ve seen so many variants of the new student experience that it’s hard to tell, honestly. What I can tell you, though, is that there are two main types: 1. The student who knows a few people here, and seems to find their group immediately. If you already have some friends here, you’re likely to end up in a circle with them. 2. The shy student. This was me during my first year – I didn’t talk to anyone at all other than my teachers. During my second year here, however, I opened up much more despite not belonging to a ‘circle’. If you’re a new student, this may very well be you, but I’ve seen much more of variant number one than number two. – Love, Coley.

How do I get myself to do stuff? – Anonymous

Well, imagine the outcome. What would happen if you really just got up and did it already? Would it make you happy, accomplished, or proud of yourself? What I do is remind myself that I have autonomy. ‘Wow! I’m really a person in a moving body who can go and do whatever I want to right now!’ Likely, there’s nothing physically stopping you from doing stuff. Why not do it now after you read this? – Love, Coley

Should I look for a job and juggle working and school or just focus on school? – Anonymous

At other schools it may not be worth it, but at ACE I’d say it’s much easier to balance work and school, so why not take advantage of that opportunity? Because we don’t have homework and get out slightly earlier than other high schools, it’s not hard to juggle both work and school. Plus, the extra money is always worth it. – Love, Coley.

Do you have any advice for seniors taking off this year?

I’m a senior graduating this year, and I think students’ main priority should be making a plan for this fall. Actually, lower grade levels should do this as well. I wasn’t even thinking about college until a month ago and I really wish I thought about it sooner. Mainly, just figure out a plan whether you end up sticking to it or not. You’ll need some sort of plan to fall back on once school’s over and you have no idea what to do next. Until the summer, though, just make sure you have everything straightened out. Make a checklist of what you want to accomplish for the rest of the school year and get it done. – Love, Coley.

We should go to 6 Flags for the senior trip. – Anonymous

All the way. I’d love for this to happen, and I hope that us seniors can figure out a way to plan it. Even if the school doesn’t organize it, it would be fun even to do outside of school if all of the seniors were in on it. – Love, Coley