by: Hayley Strahs
Editor in Chief

Ticks are parasitic blood-sucking insects that can transmit red meat allergies and Lyme disease, while tics are involuntary movements or sounds associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Luckily for me, I can eat as many hamburgers as I want. Unluckily for me, I have tics (without the k). If I’ve ever rolled my eyes or made an unpleasant face at you, I swear I didn’t do it on purpose. But even so, I’ll usually take the blame for a rude look in exchange for not having to answer a bajillion questions about my tics. But since I’m graduating soon, I thought I’d finally clear the air and provide a Tic FAQ for my fellow Wildcats.

Question: Are you making faces at me? Answer: No. Well, yes. It’s not on purpose, and I don’t mean anything by it. Feel free to giggle if I look like Jim Carey.

Question: Do you have Tourette’s? Answer: No. I am faking my tics for attention. I’ve been committed to the bit since I was seven years old, and I’ve continued it up out of sheer boredom.

Immediate Next Question: Why would you fake something like that? Answer: OMG did you think I was being serious? It’s true that I don’t have Tourette’s Syndrome; I have ADHD, and while tics aren’t a part of the diagnostic criteria, they’re somewhat common in people with the condition. It’s like a free DLC that most people grow out of during puberty.

Question: Can you just…stop it? Answer: Nope! If I could just “stop” my tics, do you really think I’d be rolling my eyes at an interviewee? Or violently shaking my head during a Socratic seminar? Trust me, I’d love to just “stop” my tics and avoid every awkwardly-timed electromagnetic signal that my brain interprets as “let’s make faces at people!”

While I can’t fully stop my tics, I can hold them in when I really need to. Situations where this is necessary include (but are not limited to): the Title IX MOSAIC lesson, cutting off LGHS staff while trying to park, getting my ID photo taken, subsequently getting a retake for said ID photo, and a job interview. I’ve learned some of these the hard way, and I sincerely apologize to anyone I’ve emoted on in the senior lot.

Most of the time, questions like the ones I listed don’t even come up. In 2026, it’s much easier to come to your own conclusions rather than simply ask. I imagine that my peers think I’m a robot transmitting morse code signals back to my charging station. In reality, I’m actually practicing echolocation to find others with tics. The more of us there are in one place, the more our strength grows. Scientifically, this occurs because we all lower our shields and merge our power into one.

As difficult as having tics is (especially in high school), I don’t see a point in hiding them anymore. Like Jim Carey’s on-command grinch face, my tics scare little kids and either mildly surprise or don’t faze my peers. Hopefully my lesson in Tics 101 helped answer some of your questions.