Look To Lance is a monthly advice column featured in The King’s Page. All questions and answers are 100% anonymous. For advice on friendships, relationships, school, food, fashion, or anything else, drop a question in Lance’s askbox at thekingspage.com.
Lancelot the Lion, the official SMHS mascot.
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons
Now that there are finally vaccines being rolled out, I can’t wait to get my two doses and hopefully be done with the Coronavirus forever. When will they be available for me? I’m of age, so I won’t have to wait a year like my younger sisters do, but I’ve been waiting too long for immunization—it’s 2021 already.
Sincerely,
Eager For a Shot
Hey there,
I can definitely relate to the feelings you are expressing. We all just want life to be back to normal again, and it seems like getting two shots along with everyone who is physically able to would restore some semblance of normalcy. However, as you might have already heard about, there is a long list of people who must get the vaccines first. Unfortunately, unless teenagers are essential workers, they probably won’t be getting vaccinated sooner than sometime in June, when the vaccines are projected to be available to the general public. This is to ensure that all healthcare workers, people who are at-risk due to underlying health conditions, and the elderly, have the necessary protection for going about their day-to-day lives and occupations. Don’t be too discouraged, though. You’ve made it through almost a year of masking up and social distancing! Keep up the good work, and in the meantime, you can start checking off the days on your calendar until you can be inoculated. Not only will you have something to look forward to, but you will be motivated each day to continue practicing the healthy behaviors that will keep you and your loved ones safe.
It’s a new year, but I feel just as down and upset as I was last year, even though in theory, I’m supposed to be starting fresh. The years are blending into each other, just like the months did in the throes of quarantine. Should I even make resolutions this year if I don’t think I’ll have the energy to see them through?
Sincerely,
Unhappy New Year
Hey there,
Your question is not an uncommon one, whether it’s interpreted within the context of a global pandemic or otherwise. You mention “starting fresh” in this new year, but due to the circumstances of today’s world, don’t feel bad if you can’t do so. Even if there were no pandemic, sometimes it is beneficial for your state of mind to simply carry over the good habits that you developed over the past year to this year, and put slashing the bad habits on hold. For example, if you managed to keep a balanced diet in 2020, congratulations! That would be something you can proceed with in 2021. If you walked 10,000 steps or more per day last year, good for you! Perhaps you could try taking 100 more steps each day so you can see your improvements on a regular basis. If you spent time every day with your beloved pet, wonderful! It’s likely that it wouldn’t be much of an effort to maintain that quality time with them. You absolutely do not have to change your entire lifestyle in order to move forward and make progress in life. I hope that 2021 is much better for you than 2020 ever was, and that you get the inspiration you deserve to achieve your resolutions. Good luck!
Trust Lance with all your secrets. Photo courtesy of Adaline Macgregor
I have worked so hard throughout high school. I’ve also avoided any parties, drugs, smoking, alcohol, etc. in the hopes that my nice-kid persona will look good to my chosen colleges and universities. And while that worked and I’m finally committed to my #1 college, now I just want to coast. What should I do?
Sincerely,
So Done With School
Hey there,
I understand what you might be going through right now. It’s completely natural, and it’s called “senioritis.” Sound familiar? Even though you might want to give up on your studies right now, it is a bad idea, looking further down the road. Why quit when you’re so close to the finish line? And your college of choice will certainly be checking your Terms 2, 3, and 4 grades. Those need to be as stellar as I’ve gathered that all your previous grades have been so far. If they aren’t, there is a good chance that the university will rescind their offer of admission. Most, if not all schools are looking for incoming students who will stick things out even if they don’t feel like it. As it so happens, you need to be one of those students. There is some good news—you are guaranteed not to receive a D or an F next semester according to our school district’s adjusted grading policies. Pardon my frankness, but this still doesn’t mean you can just slack off. If you must, reward yourself for continuing to be responsible and excelling academically. Studied hard for your midterm and got a good grade? Treat yourself to a day of relaxation or binge-watch a new show. You’ve got this, friend!
