Miss Know-It-All is Tatler’s new advice columnist, here to answer any of your questions about school, life, or where to find the best water on campus! To have your questions answered, please leave a query for Miss Know-it-All’s in the Tatler poll!

Where should I hang out during 3rd free on Tuesdays?

If you want to get work done in an efficient manner, I recommend going to the quiet reading room on the first floor of the library and getting there quickly at the start of the period because it fills up quickly or going to an empty classroom in Bliss, Moore, or Allen Gates. If you want to get work done but wouldn’t mind occasional chatter, hang out in the general library area. If you want to socialize, go to the WCC or the student center.

How soon would you recommend getting started on college stuff if you’re a junior? How soon would you recommend getting started on college stuff if you’re a junior?

That’s a question I hear a lot. Right now, I recommend thinking about aspects of Lakeside that you like and that you dislike, which will help you reflect on what type of college you want to go to. The first thing you’ll have to do when you start college counseling is brainstorming what type of colleges you are interested in applying to, so it would be helpful for you to start thinking about it now. The type of college you want to attend can depend on numerous factors such as location, size of student population, campus, academic programs and majors offered, and social environment. Also, you don’t have to only like one type of college; you can like very different colleges for a diverse set of reasons!

Additionally, I recommend thinking about which college counselor you want to have because around December, you’ll have the opportunity to request one or multiple college counselors who you would prefer to work with. Your college counselor will be a pretty influential person in your life who you see a lot for the next year, so it’s important that you like and trust her or him. I cannot imagine having to go through the college application process with a college counselor I don’t like or trust. The college counselors you can choose from are Mr. Freccia, Mr. Worthman, Ms. Fujioka, Mr. Kranwinkle, and Ms. Goss.

Who are you?

😉

What is the best water on campus?

I believe that the drinking fountain on the first floor of Allen Gates provides the best water on campus because it’s very cold and refreshing! 

What’s the big deal with Football? Like it’s literally just a bunch of dude bros doing dude broey things. Why do so many people watch it and care?

The nature of football can be described as society’s definition of masculinity because it involves tackling and is generally associated with tall and muscular young men. For this reason, it is viewed as the “top-notch” sport, which is why so many people may feel inclined to watch it. That said, people who participate in the sport or are generally familiar with it may simply enjoy watching it!

Where is the best place to nap on campus? What is the best department? What electives should I take next year? Why do so many Lakesiders play sports?

There is no good place to nap on campus, but numerous turn to the silent reading room on the first floor of the library.

From my experience, the history department or the math department is the best. The history department is full of dedicated teachers who run their classes in a way that is engaging and fun for students. The math department is strong because the teachers are so willing to meet with students in free periods and patiently help with conceptual misunderstandings. The English department would be one of the best, but its teachers grade differently to the point of sheer unfairness. It is important for students to be able to adapt to different expectations that different teachers have, but the disparity in grading standards between the teachers of the English department is simply out of control.

Choose the electives you take based on your interests. Make sure you thoroughly read the course descriptions on the course guide before you sign up for anything.

A lot of students at Lakeside do play sports for a variety of different reasons. Many seek a big time commitment that provides structure to their afternoons and gives them a sense of satisfaction, and there are not many other activities that take up as much time as sports, and none that Lakeside offers. Additionally, numerous Lakeside students feel the need to include time consuming activities to their college applications to show that they spend their free time actively. I’ve heard several students say things such as, “Colleges like it when you do sports because it shows you are dedicated to something and that you have good teamwork skills.”