Welcome to the first-ever advice column of the LION Newspaper where readers can submit anonymous questions dealing with life problems to get half serious answers. Scan the QR code above to submit any questions! 

I’m scared of women but want a girlfriend, how do I ask out a girl? 

Between you and me, women are scared of you too. Everyone knows getting rejected is rough; it hurts, but most of the time, unless you’re attracted to a mean girl, she won’t try to purposely embarrass you. But you know what’s more embarrassing than getting rejected? Going all four years of high school without talking to a single female. You’re protecting your comfort at the cost of being sad and lonely. So just take a deep breath, be confident but respectful, put on deodorant, and talk her up because you miss every shot you don’t take. 

Should I still stay with my boyfriend if he didn’t get me a one-year anniversary gift? 

Between you and me, if he wanted to, he would. And in this situation, it’s obvious that he doesn’t want to. One year is a big deal, especially in a high school relationship where break up season happens every other week. There are numerous acceptable reasons as to why he wouldn’t take 10 minutes of his day to get a gift: he was saving children from a fire, a tornado swept up his car, or maybe his legs magically disappeared. But if it’s anything short of this and he just “forgot”, maybe you can just “forget” he’s your boyfriend. 

 It’s sophomore year of high school and I’ve been debating on whether to come out or just wait until college. 

Between you and me, your situation is very challenging, but not uncommon. Coming out is a personal journey, one that should unfold when you feel truly ready, with the strength to face the world as your authentic self. In a place like LT, where not all may embrace your truth, coming out requires resilience against those who may not understand. College might offer a new chapter, but whether now or later, it’s crucial to honor your own timeline, balancing the weight of acceptance with the peace of knowing your worth isn’t defined by others’ views. 

I’m a teacher and students lie to me all the time. How do I call out students for lying to me?

Between you and me, LT students never lie, but if you run into the rare occasion of a student fibbing, here’s what you need to do. First, call them out, but don’t turn it into a fight. Second, be calm and give them a chance to come clean by questioning their story, using logic like times and dates. Lastly, make this a growing experience, not just a ‘I caught you!’ moment. Teenagers are going through a lot, especially with the TikTok ban scare, and empathy is a necessity.