What Not to Say to Someone Who Has Been Through a Trauma
One bright October morning I went out for a bike ride and found myself right next to an 18-wheel truck. I was turning right, and…
Friendship
How to Care for a Friend Struggling With Depression
If you’re not dealing with depression, there’s a pretty good chance that you know someone who is. With 6.7% of all adults in America (some…
Give Up on Guilt: How to Say No With Confidence
A few weeks ago, I found myself searching for the best way to back out of plans I honestly didn’t have time for. It was…
How to Politely Stop a Conversation
One of my favorite aspects of airports, parks, and shopping malls is the opportunity that these venues offer for people-watching, and similarly, one of my…
7 Cheap “Friend Dates” That Aren’t Coffee
The text from a good friend pops up on my phone late on Thursday, asking if I want to hang out this weekend. It’s on…
Why ‘Best Friends’ Don’t Have to Talk Every Day
Kalina and I met our first year of middle school, when I may have well as been Regina George. Not just because I was blonde,…
The 4 Commandments of Texting
We’ve all been there: You emerge from class or a meeting at work to find that your “Squad” group text has somehow multiplied by 271…
5 Helpful Phrases to Say to a Grieving Friend
My brother Brett died at the age of 36, two weeks before my final exams for my master’s degree. It was a Saturday night, and…
5 Books to Love this Valentine’s Day
The love in your life doesn’t have to be defined by a romantic partner. The ancient Greeks had four, six, seven, or even eight different…
5 Things I Learned While Living Alone
I originally chose to live alone after some bad luck with roommates in college. Being a journalist, I knew I’d have an odd schedule and…