Speak Up, Bestie!
You need to use the restroom during class, but your teacher is helping another student.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to my teacher and say, “Excuse me, may I please use the restroom when you have a moment?”
Your assignment instructions are confusing, and you don't know what to do first.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to my teacher and say, “Could you please explain the directions and help me figure out what to do first?”
Your friend looks at your messy desk and says, “Wow, your desk is SO organized!” What might your friend really mean?
If you're unsure, who could you ask, and what could you say?
My friend might really mean that my desk is messy and is using sarcasm. If I'm unsure, I could ask my friend and say, “Are you being sarcastic, or do you really think my desk is organized?”
Your teacher says, “Let's get the ball rolling” before starting a group project. What does this expression mean?
If you don't understand, who could you ask, and what could you say?
This expression means let's get started. If I don't understand, I could ask my teacher and say, “What do you mean by ‘get the ball rolling’?”
You are working with a group, but your classmates keep talking over you and won't let you share your ideas.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to my classmates and say, “I would like to share my ideas, too. Can I have a turn to speak?”
You received a grade on an assignment that was lower than you expected, and you are unsure why you lost points.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to my teacher and say, “Could you help me understand why I lost points on this assignment and what I can improve?”
You missed part of the teacher's directions because you were absent yesterday.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to my teacher or a classmate and say, “I was absent yesterday and missed some of the directions. Could you please explain what I need to do?”
A classmate sees you arrive late and says, “Nice of you to finally join us!” What might they mean?
If you're unsure whether they're joking or upset, what could you say?
They might mean that they noticed you were late or could be expressing frustration. If I'm unsure, I could say, “Are you joking, or are you upset that I'm late?”
Your teacher says, “I'm feeling under the weather today.” What does this expression mean?
If you don't understand, who could you ask, and what could you say?
This expression means feeling sick or unwell. If I don't understand, I could ask my teacher and say, “What do you mean by ‘under the weather’?”
A staff member gives you directions, but you don't understand the words they are using.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to the staff member and say, “I'm not familiar with those words. Could you explain them in a different way or give me an example?”
You are uncomfortable with a joke a classmate keeps making about you. They say you are too sensitive when you ask them to stop.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to my classmate and say, “I don't like those jokes about me. Please stop making them.” If they continue, I could talk to a trusted teacher or staff member.
Your teacher explains an assignment twice, but you still don't understand what you are supposed to do.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to my teacher and say, “I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to do. Could you show me an example or break the directions into smaller steps?”
You tell a classmate you forgot your homework, and they respond, “Well, that's just great!”
What might they really mean? How could you ask them to clarify if you're confused?
They might really mean that they are frustrated or disappointed, possibly using sarcasm. If I'm confused, I could ask my classmate, “Are you upset, or are you being sarcastic?”
Your friend says, “That test was a piece of cake!” after finishing a test at school.
What does this expression mean? If you don't know, who could you ask, and what could you say?
This expression means the test was easy. If I don't understand, I could ask my friend and say, “What do you mean by ‘a piece of cake’?”
Your friend tells you, “Bro, you need to lock in,” while you're working on a group assignment, but you're not sure what they mean.
What does this expression mean?
This expression means you need to focus, pay attention, and take what you're doing seriously. The student could respond, “What do you mean by ‘lock in’? What should I be focusing on?”
You are at your part-time job, and your manager asks you to complete two tasks at the same time. You aren't sure which one to do first.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to my manager and say, “I can complete both tasks, but which one would you like me to prioritize first?”
You are at a doctor's appointment, and the provider explains something using words you don't understand. You feel embarrassed about asking them to repeat it.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
I would talk to my healthcare provider and say, “I'm not sure I understand. Could you explain that in simpler words?”
'You're just larping, you're not a real athlete!'.
What does this mean?
They are suggesting that you're pretending to be an athlete rather than being a real one. You could respond, “What do you mean by that?” or “I'm trying my best, and I don't appreciate being put down.”
“That outfit is giving main character energy.”
What does this expression mean?
This means the outfit makes someone look confident, stylish, or like they're the star of the show.
You're at your part-time job, and your supervisor gives you a task but walks away before you understand all the instructions. You don't want to make a mistake.
Who would you talk to, and what would you say?
I would talk to my supervisor and say, “Could you go over the instructions with me one more time so I can make sure I do the task correctly?”
You're standing in line at the school cafeteria, and the person behind you keeps standing very close to you, even though there is plenty of room. You feel uncomfortable.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
Could you please give me a little more space
You're sitting with friends, and someone keeps looking over your shoulder at your phone while you're texting. You feel like your privacy is being invaded, but you don't want to start an argument.
I would talk to ___ and say, “___.”
“Could you give me some privacy? I'd rather you not look at my phone.”
You're at a friend's house, and you accidentally spill a little water on the table. Your friend laughs and says, “Wow, smooth move!” You're not sure if they're teasing you or genuinely upset.
How could you ask what they mean and respond appropriately?
Possible response: I would talk to my friend and say, “Are you joking, or are you upset that I spilled the water? I'm sorry about the mess. I'll clean it up.”
What they might mean: “Smooth move!” is a sarcastic expression that can mean someone made a mistake or did something clumsy.
Your friend looks at the long list of assignments due this week and says, “I'm cooked.” You're not sure what they mean because nobody is actually cooking anything.
What do they mean?
They mean they feel overwhelmed or in trouble because they have so many assignments due. “I'm cooked” is slang for feeling like you're in a difficult situation or might not be able to handle everything.
You're meeting with a counselor to discuss your plans after graduation. The counselor uses unfamiliar words to explain your college and career options. You nod along, but you don't actually understand what they mean.
How would you advocate for yourself and ask for clarification?
Possible response: I would talk to my counselor and say, “I'm not familiar with some of those words. Could you explain them in simpler terms and give me examples of my options after graduation?”