BROUGHT TO YOU BY WOFFORD’S INSIGHT AND SUGGESTIONS EXCHANGE TEAM (ALSO KNOWN AS A SECRET OG&B STAFF MEMBER)—

Dear WISE,

I went abroad this past spring, and being back on campus has been a tough adjustment. I guess this is what they call “reverse culture shock.” No one understands my abroad experience, and I feel lonely when I miss the friends and places I left behind. How do I move on?

Sincerely,

Not So Home Sweet Home

Dear Not So Home Sweet Home,

My advice to you is to give it time. There are many people on campus who also went abroad and would like to share their experiences. Asking others about their experiences and not just talking about your own may ease that pain. With that, there becomes a mutual understanding about each other’s experiences and you won’t feel so lonely. If you exchanged contact information with your friends you left behind, use it! You may be surprised to find they’re going through the same problems too!

Hope that helps!

WISE

Dear WISE,

I’m a sophomore this year, and school is already stressful. I miss the fun and excitement of freshman year, and all my friends complain all the time. It’s depressing, and I’m starting to think the Sophomore Slump is real! Help!

Love,

Slumpin’ Sophomore

Dear Slumpin’ Sophomore,

Being a student at Wofford is stressful as it is! What you must remember is to always make time for fun. All work and no play makes a dull person. The key to college is balance. Something as small as going out to a movie, play or taking a dinner break off campus are just a few things to do. We all understand studying is important, but you can’t study 24/7. Try getting involved on campus in a community service organization or something like choir where other people are not complaining about school all the time. Tutoring elementary school children also helps take your mind off of your own problems; children can always put a smile on your face. If children aren’t really your forte, maybe volunteering at an animal shelter is. When you graduate, you want to have more stories than about how hard you studied and how stressed out you were.

Yours truly,

WISE

Dear WISE,

Last weekend at the row, a rumor started and people began spreading untrue gossip. My name was slandered on Yik Yak. I’m hurt, embarrassed, and furious. How can I recover? I know it seems dramatic, but sometimes I feel like I want to transfer.

Thanks,

Yik Yak is Yuck

Dear Yik Yak is Yuck,

One thing to always remember is that you are not the first neither will you be the last person that has had rumors spread about them. The best piece of advice I have for you is to ignore them! People always want something to talk about. If you react to the things they say, that gives them more to talk about. Transferring will only show that they “win”; refuse to give them that satisfaction. After a while, the news will be old and the rumors will die off. You know who your true friends are and if they are not there for you, you’re better off without them! You know the truth, so stay true to yourself and focus on the real reason why you’re here at Wofford. It might not hurt to stay away from the row for a while and maybe even delete Yik Yak as well.

Stay Strong,

WISE