Accepting support during indefinite, unplanned, and difficult moments is what makes us good friends, partners, and kids. It also prepares us to return that support when the moment calls. By taking in the love and care, others might feel more comfortable reaching for us when they need that love and care back. 

This past year, I started referring to each task, instead of myself, as the orange. Rather than just getting through the day and feeling like my orange was intact, I looked for the sweet nectar elsewhere, drained it, and savored the full glass of juice. This reframing not only helped me feel more in control, it also helped me find and enjoy the sweeter things.

As another semester rolls around, we say our hellos and goodbyes to many things. We say goodbye to our restful breaks, and hello to another assortment of classes. We also say goodbye to friends and classmates embarking on their studies abroad, and hello to those who are just returning from their trips. Studying abroad gives students the opportunity to live, learn, and work in a completely different location than the one they call home.

Congrats! You made it through fall semester alive and (hopefully) unscathed. After what felt like a much-too-short winter break, campus is back and bustling. Classes are brand new, meal points have been reset, and to top it all off, it’s zero degrees outside. How will anyone survive? Although we can’t fix the janky heating systems on the South 40, we can certainly try to answer some other burning questions. 

I’m so excited to have a break from classes, but I’m kind of dreading going home for such a long time. I’ve grown apart from most of my high school friends, and I don’t feel as connected to my hometown. During the break, I’m going to miss all of my WashU friends. How do I get through this when I feel like a stranger in my own town?

I remember sitting down for the first Intro to Psychology exam, unable to control my pounding heartbeat or shaking hands. It continued for the rest of the day, bringing my anxiety beyond the exam room. I couldn’t sleep through the night and woke up multiple times in a sweat and was unable to return to sleep. 

“I failed my first two chem quizzes and absolutely bombed my calculus test. I don’t know what to do! I used to be such a good test-taker, and school came easily to me. Now, the imposter syndrome is taking over, and I feel like I’m going to fail at everything. I don’t know what to do or think anymore.” 

With Halloween (a.k.a. the most important holiday in a college student’s life) just around the corner, I’m feeling concerned about my costume. Distressed about my disfraz. In the wise words of Tina Fey, “In Girl World, Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress up like a total slut and no other girls can say anything else about it.”

Dear Scene,  I have a class with an ex-girlfriend, and she sits super close to me but doesn’t say hi, and it’s a small class…help!

I am under 21 and hate spending a ridiculous amount of money on Ubers, alcohol, and stupid Pyramid tickets. I don’t really want to get involved with Greek Life, but I still want something that is more focused on a social scene and don’t know how to make this happen. I feel like at other schools, there are still places/events that people under 21 can go to and have fun.