Hey Mik!
I’ve applied for a student exchange, but I am really unsure if I should go or not. I only have one year left here at Laurier and am torn between spending my entire last year at here, or, spending half of it in Europe. Both options are once in a lifetime opportunities I won’t ever get the chance to do again! How do I decide?
It’s time to bring out the legal pad, because there is a pro and cons list to be made!
First, I would begin by writing out any pros, as experiencing Europe is an amazing opportunity. You will be able to experience a new culture, try new foods, and create new friendships that will most likely last a lifetime.
While these pros are amazing, it is also important to consider the cons. Is it financially feasible to spend time away in Europe? Are you one to get homesick easily? (If so, that could ruin your time there), and finally, does being in an unfamiliar place half way across the world excite or terrify you? If it terrifies you, then perhaps an exchange may not be best. But if you’re up for an adventure and it does excite you, that should give you extra incentive to go!
Whatever you decide to choose, try to make the best of your time and enjoy it!
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Hello Mik,
My best friend and I are living together this year. We have never lived together before and I realize now that she is a great person but an awful roommate. She never helps with cleaning or keeping the house tidy. I have approached her so many times and she says she will help out but nothing changes. What do I do? I do not want to ruin our friendship and I resigned the lease for next year hoping that things would get better. She just will not listen!
Sometimes living with your best friends is not always feasible, for this situation exactly. It is hard to be stern with someone who you care a lot about, and while living with her you do not want to make things awkward between you.
You say that you have approached her before and nothing has changed, this says to me that perhaps you need to take a tougher approach. I would sit down and have a house meeting with her (and any other roommates you have) and plan out a chore list/calendar. Each week one roommate is responsible for something, for example one week it would be your duty to take out the recycling and trash, and the next week you would be responsible for vacuuming. This way its fair and each roommate has a different task every week.
If this does not work, you can up the stakes even further and include “punishments” for uncompleted chores. For example, if a roommate does not complete their chores, they owe everyone Starbucks coffee on a Sunday morning, or has to make breakfast for everyone. That way, this will give an extra push to make sure she helps out!
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Dear Mik,
I’ve started seeing this guy who is a total dumba**. He is adorable and really nice, but there is not much depth there. It has been a while since I have been out on the field so I have forgotten how to get a guy. I am pretty straightforward, but I do not want to scare him away by acting that way. Also, I do not even know if I like him because I actually do or I am keeping him around for the sake of having someone to like. What should I do!!!!
Your first step here is to figure out whether you have genuine feelings, or you are just enjoying his company. Your second step is to decide what exactly you want out of this. Are you looking for a serious relationship, or temporary companionship?
If you are looking for a serious or long-term relationship, my advice would be to end things before they prolong any further. If right away you were aware that there is not much depth, you would be wasting your time, and his. Furthermore, at this age there is nothing wrong with being straightforward and honest with your feelings (in a respectful and mindful way of course). He will most likely be grateful that you were upfront and honest with how you were feeling, instead of leading him on further and hurting him.
Although, if you are looking for a temporary love and you enjoy spending your time with him then I do not see a problem with continuing your fling. That being said, you need to ensure that you are both on the same page, and that your time together is just a fling so no one ends up getting hurt.
You are young, do not worry about love too much, just enjoy yourself!