Dear Doolina: Sorority Sorrows

Dear Doolina, When I get stressed I stop eating, which I know isn't good for me, but I just can't seem to motivate myself to eat. Obviously I can make the time to eat ... I just don't. What should I do?

Sincerely, Stressed and starving

Dear Stressed and starving, Do you think you may be depriving yourself of food because you think you don't deserve it, as you should be working on other things? If so, try to reframe how you think about food. It's not something you either deserve or don't deserve, but something you need simply for sustenance. In fact, if you're stressing over a test that you need to study for, not eating will only make it harder to study. You need the energy food provides to be at the top of your game for studying. That's my advice, logically speaking.

However, from your message, it seems like this might not be something Doolina can solve with logic. Consider making an appointment with a licensed mental health professional who can work you through any deeper issues that may be contributing to this problem.

Delightfully, Doolina

 

Dear Doolina, I'm a freshman. Before school started, I started talking to a girl on Facebook, and we seemed to have a lot of similar interests and got along really well, so we decided to become roommates. The one thing I didn't know about her before we became roommates is that when she's in our room, she prefers to be in the nude. I'm not prudish or anything like that, but I can't help but feel weird when I come back to the room and see her doing her calc homework completely naked. Am I wrong for feeling like this? Should I say something to her? 

Sincerely, Feelin' like a prude for not liking the nude

Dear Feelin' like a prude, If the situation makes you nervous, try picturing her in her underwear ... oh wait, that probably wouldn't help. Have you tried actually saying something to your roommate? If not, that seems like an obvious place to start. If you have talked to her, and she's still not covering up more, I think it's time to resort to passive aggressive antics, like trying to wrap her in a Snuggie whenever you can or using this opportunity to start perfecting your drawings of the human form.

Delightfully, Doolina

 

Dear Doolina, I spent much of last semester excited to rush a sorority, but I got cut. Now a lot of my closest friends are pledging, and I can't help but feel resentful and jealous. I keep wondering where I went wrong in the rush process, but can't put my finger on anything specific. How do I get over this?

 Sincerely, Pledging Sigma Alpha Delta (S.A.D)

Dear Pledging Sigma Alpha Delta (S.A.D), You get over this by realizing getting cut from rush does not signify anything about who you are or your worth as a person. You get over this by realizing your close friends will still be your close friends even if they're in sororities. If they drop you because you're not in their sorority, then they really weren't all that good of friends anyway. Also, fake it 'til you make it: at least try to pretend to be happy for your friends who are happy, and eventually, that fake smile will turn into a real one. Until then, try finding something on Netflix to binge watch – probably something other than Greek, though (as good as it is).

Delightfully, Doolina