By Briana Wheeler, Staff Writer
Dear Briana,
My roommates keep shooting me with nerf bullets. How do I ask for them to stop without sounding like a baby?
From, Xxn3rfm4st3rx420xx
Dear xxn3rfm4st3rx420xx,
There are several ways to approach such a delicate situation, the easiest being to simply tell them how you feel. But if direct confrontation makes you uncomfortable, you could try offhandedly telling them that you do not appreciate constantly living in fear of an ambush, get a friend who agrees with you to tell them that it’s uncool, or even hide all of their darts. However, if none of these options work or still make you uneasy, it seems to me that you have an ideal, “if you can’t beat them, join them” situation. Personally, I would suggest purchasing a Nerf gun slightly larger than the ones they have and continually shoot at them until you reach a truce.
Aim straight, Briana
Dear Briana,
Over spring break, I allowed an acquaintance to borrow $20 from me to buy something. I’m broke, so I’d really like to have it back. We aren’t super close, and I don’t want to be weird. How do I approach them?
With an empty wallet, One Andy Jackson Short
Dear Andy,
When it comes to money, I have found that the direct approach often works best, particularly when you are not super close with the borrower. Barring any crazy particulars not mentioned in the question, casually throwing a reminder about the money into your next conversation or even sending a, “Hey, do you think you could pay me back when I next see you?” text should suffice without too much awkwardness.
Hope this works, Briana
Dear Briana,
How do I turn a one night stand into a regular booty call? I just got out of a serious relationship and am not looking for another one, but this boy is cute and nice, so I want to keep seeing him casually.
Sincerely, Anxious
Dear Anxious,
Communication is key in any relationship, so I would suggest having an open conversation with him in person. Tell him how you feel about the time you’ve already spent together as well as what you would like from a continued relationship. It’s clear that you feel some sort of positive connection, and you shouldn’t be afraid to let him know you enjoy his presence. Rather than dissect your previous interactions for some insight into his intentions, establish clarity early by beginning an honest dialogue between the two of you. This prevents either of you from feeling led-on or like your time has been wasted.
Be sure to keep in mind that he is a human being with complex feelings, which means you should be prepared for the possibility that he may not wish to continue seeing you or want something more serious than you are willing to take on. In either of those scenarios, learn what you can from the experience and move on. Try not to ruminate on situations that don’t work out, or you may miss a different opportunity!
Best of luck, Briana