Dear Shanya B,

I am wondering if I should invite my not so popular friends to my bar mitzvah party? I don’t want it to be weird, but they are my best friends and it’ll hurt them if I don’t invite them.

Any thoughts?

Dear SOS,

Even though they aren’t incredibly popular, still invite them. You may not know it, but you’re probably just as nerdy as they are. If your best friends aren’t popular, fact is, neither are you. Your bar mitzvah should be about you, not the other kids. You need to wake up, honey. You’re going to be 13. Choose like a 13 year old. It’s time to be mature. Your friends are your friends. People who aren’t your friends aren’t your friends. I understand how you feel, however, you must stop feeling this way at once. Trust me, it’ll make your life much easier. If, however, it doesn’t, your new identity is an Eskimo named Atka.

Fun fact of the week: Atka is an actual Eskimo name meaning guardian spirit.

Shayna is a sixth grader and knows what kids in elementary school and middle school are going through. She can be reached at [email protected]. She’s looking forward to hearing from you!