By Briana Wheeler, Staff Writer
Dear Briana,
I often struggle to pick my socks for the day, and it’s starting to take up a lot of time in the mornings. How do I fix this?
Pease help,
Frustrated in Footwear
Dear Frustrated,
My favorite clothing items are socks, so I’ll provide you with my daily checklist for how I select the pair of the day: test, quiz, important interview? Without a doubt, one of the lucky pairs. Want to start with pep in the step? A wacky design or favorite cartoon character should suffice. Super casual? The classic, yet comfy, black/white pair. However, if having to make the decision itself bothers you, simply unmatch all of your pairs, toss them into the drawer, and select two at random each morning. The freedom could be liberating.
Choose wisely,
Briana
Dear Briana,
I’m a freshman, and one of my close friends here recently kicked me out their life but I still see her everywhere. Even though I now realize she was extremely toxic to me, I find that I still care for her. How do I deal with the guilt of feeling better that she’s gone?
Still healing,
One Month of Silence
Dear One Month,
My first instinct is to tell you not to feel guilty, especially since your friend initiated the break, but as someone who has experienced something similar, I know it’s not that simple. In a place as socially condensed as Sewanee, particularly if you’re members of the same friend group, it will be tough to see her and be reminded that you’re no longer a central part of her life or the one she seeks for support.
The first step is acknowledging that a positive change has happened in your life. Take some time to focus on yourself: strengthen other relationships, rediscover ambitions, take pride in your accomplishments. The pain you’re grappling with, that hole in your heart, is not true guilt, and will absolve in time.
Wishing for a speedy recovery,
Briana
Dear Briana,
My friend is crushing on one of our professors, and he keeps asking me for advice about it. I hate having those talks. Sometimes I get so frustrated that I just want to tell him it’s never going to happen, and the fact that I have a crush on him doesn’t make it any easier. Help?
Awaiting response,
Loveless
Dear Loveless,
Your question seems to branch off in a few different directions, and I’m not positive which one you would like me to explore, so I’ll do my best to address each one. As for advice you could give to your friend, I would say that while a crush on a professor is relatively harmless, any sort of romantic relationship brings a unique set of challenges to the table. But as far as your role in that dynamic is concerned, I would abstain from pushing him one way or the other.
Instead, as his friend, you could encourage him to appreciate and respect the time the professor invests in their job by focusing on the academic material of the class. If the conversations upset you because you’d rather not discuss your professor so intimately, just tell your friend that talking about them as a person of his affection makes you uncomfortable. As for your crush on your friend, go for it. Nothing feels better than getting that weight off your chest.
Hope this helps,
Briana