Doing “girl stuff” saved me, and it hasn’t stopped saving me since. After another mental downpour this semester, I began frequenting BearFit classes at Sumers, such as Zumba.

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.

Saying goodbye to gossip isn’t quick or easy. I have to decide what is unnecessary drama or rumors and what is essential, insightful information to share with my friends.

Even amongst those who don’t admit it, I’m convinced we all have friend crushes — the person across from you in class who makes a comment that really resonates with you, the person donning the World’s Coolest Outfit™, your endearing neighbor who gets millions of packages delivered. They exist!

The amount of times I’ve accidentally gone on dates I thought were chances to make friends is both excessive and embarrassing. I created a term for it: the “accidate.”

To please or not to please?  Is it actually a choice, or are we really just conditioned to be people-pleasers by those who want to reap the rewards? 

Our unwillingness to run in public is not necessarily problematic, but I want to draw attention to the benefits of which we are unknowingly depriving ourselves.

In the past decade, smartphones have emerged as an entirely new socialization tool. What started as a new form of conversation in text messages has turned into a multifaceted, elaborate platform that works through social media, new apps like Snapchat and, of course, instant messaging.