Dear Groundhog,
All of my good friends (whom I met freshman year) are going to Rome in the Spring when I return from my gap semester. I’ve heard that friendships change a bit during sophomore year, but how much do friendships change after going to Rome? Especially if one person doesn’t go but another does?
Sincerely,
Wondering Nomer
Dear Wondering Nomer,
A change in friendship dynamics can be one of the most difficult things about life, especially here at UD where many people take advantage of the Rome program. Your returning friends will have new memories with new friends that you didn’t get to experience with them – but you will too! It’s hard to imagine that, but it’s just a part of life. It doesn’t mean you won’t be able to be friends anymore, but you’ll both have the opportunity to share the meaningful moments from the past year/semester and (hopefully) create a stronger bond. The true test of a good relationship is whether you can spend time apart and together!
Sincerely,
Groundhog
Dear Groundhog,
A couple of me and my other friends at UD were wonder- ing, how do we tell if a guy is interested in us or just being friendly/a gentleman? It’s a little difficult to tell sometimes, especially at UD.
Sincerely,
Looking for Clarity
Dear Looking for Clarity,
I think the best way to test this out is to observe whether he does it for everyone. As far as chivalry goes, some guys feel the need to open the doors and pull out chairs for anyone they’re with, but others might only do this for someone they know or care about. Also, watch that one-on-one time. If you find yourself spending the majority of your time together away from a group of people, he may just be that into you – especially if he’s initiating the alone time. If that’s not what you want, make sure you express that! Say “I love x about you, but I’m not interested in dating you.” It’s that simple, folks.
Sincerely,
Groundhog
Dear Groundhog,
I’ve noticed that there seems to be too many doppelgängers on campus. I’ve confused Porter with Diesel, Ches Keating with Emma Roberts, Katie Vogel with Gracie Vogel, Clarissa with Karina, President Sanford with his son Eli, Dr. Upham with Mark Hamil, Dr. Roper with Walter White, etc. I’ve asked some of them to wear name tags, but most of them laughed in my face or straight up told me… “No.” Are there any tips or advice to help me distinguish my fellow Crusader colleagues from one another?
Sincerely,
Nicky
Dear Nicky,
That is certainly quite the predicament. Some people have gotten me mixed up with those pesky squirrels hanging around! (Just between me and you, I definitely don’t cause power outages.) If you can’t tell people apart from physical differences, maybe you can try talking to them and using the information you get. For example, Dr. Roper teaches English and wears suits all the time, and Walter White is not real. It’s the little things in life, Nicky, that make us unique. I hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Groundhog