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. 

Relationships ebb and flow in connectivity and that doesn’t define its value. Don’t let the expectations of hyper-connectivity define your relationships.

With the spring semester ending soon and many WashU students returning to their hometowns for the summer, the Student Life editorial staff wanted to share ways to reconnect with your community and adapt to the changing friendship dynamics that may hit you when you get back home.

Taking the time to flip a few pages every night (whether they were from a rom-com beach read or a vulnerable memoir) bolstered my initial goal of trying new things. I felt room to be more creative and explorative.

Yet housing decisions do not need to be so fraught. Not living with your friends is not the end-all, be-all of your housing situation, and your housing situation is not the end-all, be-all of your friendships.

So when I say most of my close friends play Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), it’s not because there’s a personality type or positive value I associate with the game (that’s for another article). It’s because, if they’ve talked to me about D&D or whatever their particular niche interest is, it’s indicative of a trait that truly creates good friendships and relationships: direct communication.

This past Friday, legendary sitcom “Friends” celebrated its 25th birthday. Yes, it’s been 25 years since Rachel Greene barged through the doors of Central Perk in that horrendous dress.

After working with Wash. U. students for 17 years, I have observed a striking trend: Students find the most impact and meaning in the activities and communities in which they participate most intensively.

Question: A bunch of my friends are going abroad next semester and I’m really worried about staying in touch and being on my own. What should I do?

It’s tricky trying to create plans with a set group of friends and feel like you’re not being exclusive. No one wants to feel like he’s shutting someone out, and no one wants to be shut out. At the same time, it can be frustrating and feel like a breach of personal space when a friend consistently includes himself in your plans when he is not welcome.