The infinite nothingness of Winter Study has really aggravated my existential dread. Any tips?
On days when the wind chill hardly cracks zero, I often find myself grappling with a similar emptiness, but there is also a certain beauty in the desolation of a New England winter. Where else is there a piercing blue sky on the same days that you lose feeling in your toes?
My tip to you is this: Find a large window (there are great ones in Wachenheim), grab a toasty beverage (not from Goodrich — it’s time to splurge), light your favorite candle (CSS, don’t @ me), and bask in the simple beauty of our Massachusetts tundra.
What is the most socially acceptable way to say no to a meal?
The perennial “get a meal.” A seemingly simple beast, but one with an underbelly of subtext. Do they want to get in my pants, are they digging for dirt on my friends, or do they genuinely want to catch up? You raise a pressing issue, dear inquirer. Our society — if you can call the Purple Bubble a society — does not have the language to decline this complex invitation!
There are a few strategies to consider. There’s the “keep plans generic” avenue — maybe they will never follow up about a specific time. Or you could last-minute cancel and conveniently forget to initiate a rain check. But my gut is telling me that, when navigating an interaction already rife with ambiguity, it might be best for everyone involved if you’re direct: “I really appreciate the offer, but I’m not interested.”
It seems like loneliness is so visible on this campus — how can I be okay with being seen by myself?
Seldom do I see someone eating in the dining hall, or even studying, alone, so I get it. The social structure of Williams quite literally encourages the pack mentality, and while you cannot change how others behave, you can change how you act and think. Take a step back and think about it rationally: It is totally normal to eat a meal or do work alone.
Walk through any city or town that is not Williamstown and you see people going about their day — running errands, eating, reading, enjoying nature, working — by themselves. Remember that Williams is not representative of the real world, especially with regards to this, so if being alone is something that would make you happy, then do it. And, if you see me in the dining hall watching Cody Ko and eating dinner alone, do not disturb. <3
My situationship loves his sport more than he loves me. What should I do?
It’s a tale as old as time — or at least as old as co-education at this godforsaken institution. To be perfectly honest with you, the ill-defined bounds of a situationship are unfortunately this man’s Get Out of Jail Free card at the moment.
Does that mean that feelings aren’t hurt? By no means! But before I badmouth all men and their unhealthy devotion to a game with little balls and long sticks that have nets on the end (which I am unafraid to do!), I think it’s time to have the hard conversation about where this situationship stands.
I keep seeing YikYak posts written by a man complaining about his relationship, and the details are eerily similar to my own relationship. Should I confront my boyfriend about this?
Sigh. Have you considered dating women?
