The Ponies Answer: Part Four · 10:33pm Jun 10th, 2013
Hi there, everypony! We have another bunch of really fun questions for you guys! Twilight and Rarity are gonna tell you how to be creative, and Applejack and Dashie are gonna tell you how to be brave, and we're all gonna tell you our favorite fruit! You should read it! When you're done reading this, I mean. What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for me to stop- oh, right.
Dear My Little Ponies,
I have a problem. I'm in school, and I've had a really hard time with assignments and tests this term. I just can't seem to find the motivation to work or study like I usually do. I'm sleeping a lot, too, and feeling kind of down about myself. My grades are really suffering, but I don't know how to fix things.
Do you ever feel like this? What helps you feel better? And how do you find the motivation to work when you just feel like sleeping? -Listless in Los Pegasus
First of all, if you’re sleeping a lot you might want to go to the doctor. There are a couple of things that can be wrong that can make you sleep a lot, and if it’s a medical problem then it’s best to find that out right away. Sleeping can also mean you’re depressed, so if you think that might be the problem there are professionals you should talk to about that, too.
If you’re sure that there’s nothing that needs medical attention, there are some other things you can try!
One thing is to make sure you’re getting enough sleep every night. It can be tempting to stay up late with a good book, especially if you’ve been busy all day long, but too many nights of that will leave you feeling sleepy all the time. It feels relaxing and fun at the time, but it’s way more important to make sure your body knows when it’s time for sleep, and to give it plenty of time every night.
Another thing is to get plenty of sunlight and activity. Go for a walk outside and feel the sunshine. Not only does it make you feel more awake to be out in the sun, but there are actually vitamins that you get from sunlight!
Speaking of vitamins, a healthy diet is important too. Some foods make you feel sleepy, and so does a deficiency in some vitamins, so making sure you’re eating plenty of fruits and veggies might help.
To get motivated, it can help to make a schedule, and break things up into smaller pieces. A half an hour of reading or an hour of working on an assignment is something you know you can get through, so you’re more likely to do it. Schedule a few of those through the day, rather than big chunks of time that will feel impossible.
As a pony who’s an expert in both motivation and napping, I’d say Twilight covered a lot of the bases. Being outside is good, getting sleep at night is good. And get your tail into the doctor for a check-up, there’s never a reason to not be in top physical shape.
Something Twilight didn’t go into much is motivation. I’ve got a couple of tips there.
First, make sure you want it, and don’t mix up not being motivated with not wanting it. Sure, sometimes I’d rather take a nap then work on my flying, but that does not mean that I don’t want to be a Wonderbolt. On the other hoof, I used to take a lot of naps back in flight school, way more than I should have. The difference is that, since I want to be a Wonderbolt, when somepony gets me to work on my flying I’m happy to do it. I know it’s helping me get something I really want, and not just a waste of time I could be napping.
But what if the clouds are really fluffy that day? Or what if it’s something that you kind of have to do, but don’t really want to? That’s when you need some friends. You need to tell them that if they catch you napping, or goofing off, they should give you a push. Even better is if you have friends who are into it-- like how AJ can help me stay in shape, and how Pinkie loves to watch me fly. If you have friends who are interested in what you’re learning in class, or are in the same classes, working with them can be awesome.
I never have trouble with sleeping too much, but sometimes I have trouble doing things I’m supposed to, because there are so many other things I could be doing and if I start doing one in the middle of what I’m supposed to be doing I forget what I’m supposed to be doing, like right now I think I was supposed to be answering a question!
Sometimes to make sure things get done, I give myself a treat at the end of what I’m supposed to be doing. Just don’t give yourself a treat in the middle of what you’re supposed to be doing, otherwise you’ll make the middle last a really long time, and run out of treats, and the end will be no fun!
I been tryin’ to think on how to put this, ‘cause I sometimes have kinda the opposite problem. It ain’t all that healthy to be able to work ‘til ya’ drop, either, but since I reckon you need a little more of what I got, I’ll let ya’ in on one of the things that keeps me goin’ on the farm: Big Macintosh.
Now, he’d never say a word ‘bout it, he barely says a word to anypony, but since I was a little filly I been workin’ my tail off to keep up with ‘im. ‘Course a little filly was no match for a near-grown stallion, but I never let that stop me. If Big Macintosh could do it, I could do it! He was just a pony, after all. I could be as good a pony as him.
So, maybe what ya’ need is a pony to look up to. Somepony who can do what you gotta do, so you can say, “If that pony can keep goin’, so can I!”
But, ya’ also gotta listen to Twilight. She’s a smart pony, and if she says you oughta see a doctor first, you oughta see a doctor.
Dear Twilight and Rarity,
How does one spark creativity, which he so much desires? - fimfiction.net
I don’t do much creative work... Well, okay, I might dabble in writing, but nothing serious! But thinking creatively is important in research and problem solving, both of which I do a lot of.
When I find myself stuck, one of the first things that really helps me is just looking at my library. That might sound weird, but seeing all of those books, all of that knowledge on so many different subjects, it gets my mind moving in a dozen different directions at once! Seeing how many things there are to do and learn and think about in the world just makes me want to try them and learn them and tell ponies my own thoughts.
But, it only works in libraries and bookstores. There’s something about seeing the physical representations that’s more amazing than imagining it. Also, you have be be careful not to get caught up in reading, if you’re trying to do something else.
Sometimes, if a problem is particularly hard, I need to give myself a break from that whole subject, and read something completely different. Even if the new subject has nothing to do with the problem at hoof, there might be a metaphor or a new direction to try. And even if you don’t find anything that will help, coming back to something with a clear mind might make it easier to think of what to try next.
Ah, chasing that fickle muse! I know I’ve spent quite a bit of my life doing that. I most often find the sly thing once I’ve already begun a project, which is the purpose of my inspiration room.
When I can not think of what I’m to make, and every sketch I try leaves me flat, I find the best thing to do is to start making... something. I pull out fabric, drape it, try different styles and colors until I simply know. That often sends me flying back to my sketch pad, leaving my inspiration room in a state of chaos, but that doesn’t matter-- I have a dress to make!
So the key may be to start creating something. What you start on may not have any resemblance to your final design, but inspiration seems to strike more often when one meets it halfway.
Dear girls,
How do you overcome your fears?
You girls inspired me, but everytime I try anything, I get so scared that I can't continue.
I'm not even doing the really super scary stuff like facing of against a god or two, or a firebreathing dragon, but even things that should be simple like writing are problematic.
So, how do you girls do it? Any advice you can give me? - Lost in the middle of my mind
Bravery ain’t nothin’ but takin’ one step at a time, sugarcube. When ponies turn tail and run, it’s ‘cause they’re thinkin’ too far ahead ‘bout all the what-if’s and how-am-I-gonna’s. And most of the time that stuff don’t even happen!
They might look at a timberwolf and think, “there’s no way I can do nothin’!” But that ain’t true, a pony can kick a rock. And if that don’t work, a pony can look around and find a vine, and try and trip it. A pony can keep on tryin’ one thing after another ‘till the job’s done.
Of course, when ya’ can’t think of a single thing left to do without gettin’ yourself hurt, it’s time to hit the road. Bein’ brave is all well an’ good, but there’s this thing called a “tactical retreat” that Twilight taught us ‘bout...
Okay, look, I see where you’re coming from. There’s a big difference between going up against a monster and showing other ponies something you worked hard on. With a monster, either you’re tougher or they are. But, when you’re showing something to other ponies, they’re judging you. And they might not see how awesome you are, and they might even think you’re really lame. For some reason, that’s way scarier than getting roasted by a dragon.
But, what AJ said is still true. You take it one trick at a time, and if you mess up you go on to the next trick. You don’t really know how you’re gonna do on the next trick until you tried it, and you might miss doing something amazing if you never give it a shot!
Dear Pinkie Pie,
The world isn't perfect, nothing is. Sometimes it's downright scary and mean. Sometimes bad things happen that we can't control and that tends to make others upset. Sometimes, it's hard to keep upbeat when you know something bad has happened in another part of the world.
So, my question (or—er, questions, sorry) is this: how do you manage to keep so cheerful and optimistic? Do you have moments of weakness sometimes? If so, how do you overcome? I realize these questions are personal, but I think experience is a great teacher.
Keep up the good fight. Party on! --United Kingdom
There are sad things in the world. There are even some really sad things in the world. And scary things, and bad things, and mean ponies... sometimes it seems like there are lots of them!
And that’s why I smile, silly!
With all that’s bad out there, if I don’t smile, and you don’t smile, and my friends don’t smile, who’s going to smile? And if nopony is smiling, nopony is going to want to do good things! And if nopony wants to do good things, there are only going to be the bad things, and ponies won’t ever smile, and I’m not gonna live in a world where nopony smiles!
So it starts with this pony, right here. I’m gonna smile, and I’m gonna make other ponies smile, no matter how bad it gets. There will always be smiles in the world, as long as I’m in it! And someday, if I’m not in the world, I hope other ponies will remember me and smile!
Sometimes I get sad, especially if I feel like other ponies don’t want me to make them smile anymore. What happens to the world then, if I can’t make ponies smile? But I have the bestest friends ever, and they always like me, and as long as they like me I can make them smile. So there will always be six ponies smiling in the world.
And maybe you’ll keep on smiling, so there will always be one smiling human in your world, too!
Your majesty,
Now that you're one of the royal family, will your reign be based in Canterlot, either way will you take charge of a certain time of day or will your affinity for magic lead you to use your resources for the pursuit of magical research? -Australia
I can’t really say for certain. I’ve kind of had to learn that plans change, sometimes. (For example, I don’t have one single schedule where I wrote down “become a princess.” I was supposed to be helping Cheerilee pick out books to read to her class that day.)
I think I’ll be staying in Ponyville. I don’t have a kingdom to rule, so I don’t see a reason to live in a castle. And if I get to pick anywhere in the world to live, I think living in a library with my friends nearby is pretty much a dream come true already!
I don’t really think Equestria needs more ponies to control the times of day, so right now I’m focused on magical research. There are still lots of fascinating things to learn about magic, especially the magic of friendship!
Dear anypony,
What's your favorite fruit? -Alabama
Is this a trick question?
Pie!
Uh, pie ain’t a fruit, Pinkie.
Pies have fruit in them!
They do sometimes, but that don’t really make it a fruit.
Okay, then, donuts.
How in Equestria do ya’ figure... know what? Never mind.
I adore grapes, fed to me, while I recline on a satin pillow.
Who’s next?
Um, whatever everypony else likes is fine.
Well, right now ya’ got your pick of apples, donuts, or layin’-down grapes.
Oh... I didn’t know that donuts-
Pinkie.
In that case, um, grapes are fine.
I like oranges!
Just oranges? You don’t mean orange jelly beans, or oranges ya’ eat standin’ on your head?
Nooo, just oranges.
Okay, good. Rainbow Dash?
I like apples.
Finally! Y’all live next to one’a the finest apple farms in Equestria, and-
Yeah, that’s why I like them best. They’re free.
Don’t ever ask us ‘bout fruit again, please.
Dear Fluttershy,
How do you feed the carnivorous animals under your care? -New York
Carefully. They have sharp teeth.
Dear Ms. Applejack,
Are you still able to speak in a refined manner as Rarity does, like your aunt and uncle Orange taught you long ago in the city of Manehattan?
Dear Ms. Rarity,
may I ask for your opinion on the subject? -Donutopia
I reckon I could, but I don’t. It ain’t who I am. There’s a lotta ponies, ‘specially in Canterlot, who might think I sound backwards for talkin’ like I do, but that’s just the reason I do it. If they think I’m dumb ‘cause of how I talk, I don’t care what they think of me.
While I prefer a more refined manner of speech, and there are certainly benefits to being able to socialize more easily among the upper class, I am not the pony to comment on how a pony wishes to present herself...
Thank ya’, Rarity.
...so long as she lets me do her mane when we’re going to events.
That ain’t worth fightin’ her on. Trust me, folks.
Dear Rainbow Dash,
How do you fly without getting airsick, nauseous, or altitude sickness? - Earth
Hey, we learned this one in flight school!
Okay, believe it or not, pegasi can get airsick, just not when we’re flying.
Being airsick happens when you’re in an airship, or hot air balloon, or some kind of flying machine, because you see and feel things moving past you, but your body thinks it’s standing still. Your balance gets all mixed up, and you toss your cookies.
When a pegasus is flying, we know we’re moving. It’s just like running is for ponies and humans. There’s no reason for us to get mixed up; our wings are flapping, we’re moving, our brains know how this works.
But a pegasus on a balloon or airship is just like anypony else. Actually, a lot of us really don’t like them, because there’s nothing more embarrassing than admitting to other types of ponies that a pony who can fly got airsick.
As for altitude, that’s something special about pegasi. We get more oxygen from the air then other ponies, so when there’s less of it high up, we’re still cool.
(And before anypony asks, I’m always careful not to take Tank up too high. He might be an awesome flyer, but he’s still a turtle. No way am I gonna let the little guy get hurt.)
That's it for now, folks! We've got some really cool ones for you next time... That means plenty of yours truly! As always, you can ask us stuff here: Ask a Pony!
I see
This is funny. I left you a question. I think you'll know it's mine just by looking at it.
Loved some of the headcanon you covered there in that last question, although how do you explain how they keep warm at night sleeping at altitude. I personally like to say they have either a faster metabolism, faster heart rate or a a combination of the two (this isn't really an ask a pony question, more so just one for you, Bookplayer)
Pinkie's answer to the smile question is way too cute.
1136712 Thick fur. They might look like other ponies, but they're stick-thin underneat, and their fluffy fur keeps them all snuggly-wuggly during the night.
And RD always carries a blanket with her. I've seen her do it.
Loving this thing!
1137271
It must also be water-resistant because they sleep on patches of water vapor. Even if they don't sink, they'll still get wet. At the same time, I'm pretty sure that competitive flyers like Rainbow Dash would want to shorten that fur to make themselves faster. And the advantage of the metabolism/heart-rate explanation is that it also explains how they have enough stamina to fly the way they do.
1137679 That's all very good... but it means RAINBOW DASH WOULDN'T BE FLUFFY!
Your points are now invalid.
1137885
As much as we want her to be fluffy, I think she'd rather be a fast flyer than make us happy.
Check-mate, sir.
Shipping fuel!
...what have I become?