Dear Melanie,

I feel like all of my senior friends are landing interviews or getting any feedback from jobs, but all I seem to be getting is a mental breakdown. Where do I even start with job searching? How does thing even happen?

— I Need A Job

Dear Jobless,

It’s that time again – finding jobs. And trust me, I will be the first to empathize with you during your mental breakdown. At this point, I’m convinved I’m going to be a Starbucks barista for the rest of my life, and I don’t even know how to make coffee. 

But let’s take a step back and cross this one bridge at a time. Do you have your resume done? Are you actually looking at jobs? What about references? 

Applying for jobs can be scary and it’s definitely different than anything you’ve ever done before. But it’s really not as bad as it seems. 

Pick a designated day and time each week to job hunt/apply. You will drive yourself crazy if you look every single day. Trust me, companies will not post that often. Have your resume, references, and cover letter ready. Narrow down your search by knowing what area you want to work in. When you see a job that you like and think you qualify for, apply. Keep in mind, you won’t get the first job you apply for. And probably not the second one, either. 

If your resume or cover letter isn’t up to par, stop by the Career Services Center. You don’t need an appointment and they will help you with mock interviews, resume writing, and any other quetions you may have about your future career. 

Also, academic and faculty advisors can help you at any time as well. 

Best of luck!

Sincerely, 

Melanie 

Dear Melanie,

My floormates are driving me crazy. We used to all be friends, but now they don’t talk to me. I’m not sure what happened, but I don’t know what to do. I still want to be close with them, but they ignore me. What do I do?

— I Want My Friends Back

Dear Friends,

It can be difficult to fight for a friendship that you didn’t even know you lost. My suggestion is to talk to your floormates. Ask them what happened, and if there’s anything you can do to fix it. 

Be sure to approach it in an unbiased way. Don’t accuse them of anything – even if you think they deserve it. Tell them how you feel; use a lot of “I feel”s rather than “you”s. This will show that you aren’t attacking them—you’re simply feeling hurt and upset. 

Don’t have them guess what’s going on. Seek them out and tell them how you feel; don’t wait for them to ask. 

If they tell you they are upset with something you did, apologize and try to fix it. If they apologize for treating you as they did/do, be sure to accept their apology. Once everything is out in the open, move on. Fix what needs to be fixed and then make sure you are all aware of each other’s feelings. 

Sincerely, 

Melanie 

Dear Melanie,

My floormates are driving me crazy. We used to all be friends, but now they don’t talk to me. I’m not sure what happened, but I don’t know what to do. I still want to be close with them, but they ignore me. What do I do?

— I Want My Friends Back

Dear Friends,

It can be difficult to fight for a friendship that you didn’t even know you lost. My suggestion is to talk to your floormates. Ask them what happenedit. 

Be sure to appraoch it calmly.