DR. WALLACE: I like to sit up front in most of my classes in school. I do this for many reasons, including that I can focus better just looking at the teacher and the presentation of the material being discussed without having to look at or over other students, some who rustle, play games on their phones and even sneak to talk to each other during class. In the front row I can focus better, and I stay much more alert and engaged in the lesson since the teacher is only a few feet away from the front row.

However, this year in one of my classes there seems to be a lot of other students who wish to sit in the front row, too! At the beginning of the school year, I could almost always get a seat in the front row, but lately the front row is totally full and even most of the second row is full by the time I walk in from my previous class on the far end of the campus!

I'd really like to get back up front, but I'm too shy to ask any other student to trade seats with me, plus they arrive ahead of me, so I guess they are entitled to "first come, first serve" seating, right? I can of course sit on the far end of the second row or even somewhere in the middle of the third or fourth rows, but I truly long for a front-row seat! I know this may sound trivial to almost everyone else, but it actually is a big deal to me. I should also mention that this particular teacher is quite dynamic and the lessons are fun, very creative and truly outstanding. Many students love this class and the wonderful teaching "performance" that is delivered daily, so I feel that this is likely one of the reasons that the "up-front" seats are now so widely in demand. It feels like getting a seat to see a popular band lately! Is there anything I can do to increase my odds of getting a seat up front, or should I just accept that due to my long walk across campus, my front-row days are over? — A Front-Row Girl by Nature, via email

A FRONT-ROW GIRL BY NATURE: It certainly sounds like you're lucky to have such a talented teacher at your school, one that you truly enjoy learning from. And since this teacher is so popular, it may provide you an opening to try out an idea I have for you. Simply approach the teacher during regular office hours and explain your situation! Mention the long walk across campus as the reason you're not able to sit up front and ask this teacher if, due to the popularity of the class and lessons, it would be possible for the seats up front to be available on a "rotation" basis.

The idea would be to have any and all students who wish to sit in the front two rows be able to "sign up," and then every day those seats would "rotate" so any interested students could move one seat left or right in the front row and eventually over to a similar path through the second row, before again entering the front row and so forth. This would not favor anyone in particular and would allow all interested students to get an equal amount of time in the first and second rows.

Be gentle with your suggestion and say that if nothing can be done, you'll understand and accept that you'll sit wherever you can once you arrive in the classroom. You can also mention how much you and other students enjoy the excellent lessons and that you feel this is why "premium" seats are hard to get! I know there are some great teachers out there, but I've never previously heard of such demand for "premium classroom seating"!

I'D LIKE TO TRY THE NEW WEIGHT-LOSS TREATMENTS

DR. WALLACE: I'm a high school student who is more than a touch overweight, and for most of my life I've been resigned to the fact that I'd likely always be this way.

But lately, I've heard that there are some new drugs and treatments that can really help people like me. How do I get my hands on these new treatments that help to suppress feelings of hunger so that I can lose most or at least many of my unwanted pounds? — Would Like To Try the Treatments, via email

WOULD LIKE TO TRY THE TREATMENTS: The Food and Drug Administration has approved certain injections to help adults and children aged 12 years and older with obesity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts use a body mass index to measure what percentile a child or teenager fits into, and they typically consider an obese level to be at or above the 95th percentile on a chart measured by age and gender.

Your best bet would be to discuss this matter at length with your parents and your family physician as a starting point. You should also be aware that some of these treatments do have possible side effects for some individuals, so be sure to discuss this at length with your physician.

The short answer is that these treatments can indeed be given to teenagers in some instances. Be sure that you and your family get all the facts in advance so that good decisions can be made on your behalf.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Taylor Flowe at Unsplash