Rival Remedies #1
Hello! Greta and Nora loved all of the questions so much that they decided to answer them all! Thank you to everyone who submitted, keep asking and Rival Remedies will keep answering.
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How can I tell if a coworker has a crush on me or if they’re just being nice?
This is a tricky situation to be in. On the one hand, you could be close to experiencing a Jim-and-Pam-inspired love story. But on the other hand, you could make things incredibly awkward by misreading a situation. Maybe try asking this work crush to hang out outside of work—offer to get coffee, study together, or even carpool for a week. If you’re too nervous to do something one-on-one, organize a group activity with other co-workers. Seeing how you guys interact outside of a work environment might help things come into focus. This could also give you a better idea if you really like the person, or if this is a crush of convenience. The most important thing is to make sure that 1) any potential crushes do not derail your work performance, and 2) everyone is respecting everyone’s boundaries. Good luck!
I’m abroad and I miss AU
Hey! I am really sorry you feel this way, but you are not alone! I went abroad for 5 months and missed the USA terribly. All I wanted to do was lay in bed and be on my phone. I decided to reach out and realized others were feeling the same. To cope with the feeling of homesickness, I discovered two solutions.
Explore: This is a chance to travel with people your age or embark on a solo adventure! If you can, travel to as many new places as possible! These can be day trips or longer adventures. Walk the streets of the city you are in, try new foods, and just allow yourself to be a tourist!
Make a home cooked meal: If you have access to a kitchen, try making one of your favorite meals from D.C. or home! After weeks of eating pub and cafeteria food, I know having a home cooked meal brought me comfort.
Try to enjoy your time abroad as much as possible. AU will always be here for you, for better or for worse.
My friend’s apartment has been under construction for the past month, what should they do?
It’s time for your friend to send some passive-aggressive emails to the building manager, requesting updated information on the timeline for construction. They could also try recruiting neighbors to the cause—if your friend is suffering, it’s likely their neighbors on the same floor are too. If your friend really wants to get into the weeds on this issue, have them cite the District of Columbia Noise Control Act or another DC building regulation. Best wishes, and hope your friend gets some uninterrupted sleep soon!