Dear
GiGi,
My best friend is moving to another state in a few
weeks. We’ve been friends since I was seven, and I’m really, really going to
miss her. Is this going to be the end of our friendship? How do I keep in touch?
What do I do?
Signed,
The
End?
Dear The End,
Having a friend
move away is tough. And sometimes, when a friend moves away, you do lose touch and the friendship just
sort of ends. But, while it takes a fair bit of work, sometimes, you can still
stay friends no matter how far away your bestie moves.
One of the hardest
things about having your best friend move away is the fact that you’re not
going to see each other as much. But that’s where keeping in touch comes in,
and in the age of technology, you have a lot of options. You can write her a
letter, or send her a postcard. You can call her or text her. You can email
her. You can send her a message on Facebook or Twitter.
Another hard part
is the fact that you’re kind of feeling both happy and sad at the same time.
Because on one hand, you’re happy for her, she’s starting a new chapter in her
life. But on the other hand, it’s a chapter that doesn’t have you in it.
Make yourself a
scrapbook of things you guys do or did together. Put in pictures, ticket stubs
and little mementos of your friendship. Anything to remind you of the good
times you shared.
If you can, set up
a date to come and visit her in her new house. She’ll be glad to see you!
Smiles,
GiGi
Dear Gigi,
I’m having a
serious friendship crisis! I have two very close friends, but they don’t like
each other very much. I used to only hang out with one friend at a time, but
recently we’ve all been spending time together. I really thought that my
friends would like each other, but instead, they hate each other! Now, one friend
only talks about how mad she is at the other friend. Every time they argue they
want me to take sides, and decide which person I like most. I hate being stuck
in the middle. I don’t want to choose who I like more because I like them both
equally! I really want my friends back, but with my birthday coming up soon,
and I’m worried they will all start another argument! What should I do?
From,
Possible Peacemaker
Dear Possible Peacemaker,
This is a very
tricky situation! Your friends obviously care about you, but their anger seems
to be getting in the way of your friendship. Your friends may need to know how
much the arguing bothers you. Tell them how you feel, and how much you value
them both as friends. They don’t need to be best friends, but ask them to try
to get along.
As for being stuck
in the middle of arguments, tell them that you care about them both equally,
and that you do not want to choose. If they are truly your friends they should
understand how much it hurts you to see them fight.
When you are with
both friends at the same time, try to act as a buffer between the two. Try not
to let one or the other feel left out, and do things you all enjoy. Friendships
can be tricky, but being honest about tension between your two friends may help
them get along.
Good luck,
GiGi
Dear GiGi,
Over the past year or so, my friends and teachers have
been saying that I’m an introvert, or that I express introvert-like qualities.
I’m starting to get the feeling that being an extrovert is better. Is being an
introvert ever a good thing?
From,
Extrovert Wannabe
Extrovert Wannabe
Dear Extrovert Wannabe,
Being an introvert
does not mean that you’re necessarily shy, cowardly, or nerdy. In fact, it
doesn’t have to mean any of those things at all! Introverts have many positive
qualities, like the fact that they’re self-reflective, independent, creative,
flexible, and a whole lot more. It might be a relief to know that you’re not
alone, with nearly half of the U.S population falling under the introvert
spectrum.
But you don’t have
to be an introvert if you don’t want to. You can be, and act, and do whatever
feels comfortable to you. If what you want to do seems more like what an
introvert would do, embrace it! No matter what you are, you are special. And
don’t let anyone tell you differently!
Thinking
before you act and being able to create lasting relationships are two of the
many great things about being an introvert. Two good things about being an
extrovert are that they are socially active and can easily entertain themselves
and others. But maybe you’re wondering what happens when you fall in between.
This is perfectly acceptable. A lot of people fall in this category, the middle
of the spectrum called ambiverts. These people tend to go back and forth
between the two sides of the spectrum, so maybe when your friends and teachers
see you and how you act, you might be more like an introvert, but in other
situations, you act more like an extrovert. Therefore, you could be an
ambivert!
Just
remember, “introvert” is neither a label, nor should it be a stereotype. It is
just one side to a large spectrum of different personality traits. If you’d
like to find out a little more about who you are, click Here or Here for two different
quizzes that might help you find where you are on the spectrum and whichever
side you land up on, you’re always going to be amazing!
From,
GiGi
GiGi
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