Q: “I find myself unable to cope without several cups of coffee every day. How do I cut back on my caffeine reliance?” – Austin
A: Having gone through this only a couple years ago, I’m your girl! I used to totally depend on coffee and hardcore energy drinks to get through anything. I won’t lie – the adjustment period was rough. However, after your body becomes accustomed to functioning without caffeine, you will feel absolutely fine. I swapped out my morning cup of coffee, which I used to chug out of desperation to be pleasant and awake, for a cup of green or black tea. Some days, I do admit that I need a bit of a boost, but there is nothing wrong with caffeine in moderation! There’s a fine line between being energized and being anxious and jittery when it comes to caffeine usage. Only you know what your body can handle. You can wean off of coffee gradually by dropping to a cup every other day, or by switching to decaf. Try hot or iced tea on the off days and allow your body to get used to that subtle, calm inflow of caffeine instead of the more extremely caffeinated beverages. It takes some adjustment, but you will teach your body to retain energy without the help of coffee. Getting enough sleep and exercise and a healthy diet will help, too, of course!
Q: “How do I stop myself from going back to my ex-boyfriend time and time again? How do I stop missing him?” – Erika
A: I think we develop dependencies on the people we love. Once you have a history with someone, it is harder to let them go. You may have experienced large life events and been in each other’s lives during them. Regardless of whatever the case may be, a connection doesn’t dissipate very easily. Sometimes, the comfort love brings overpowers the reality of incompatibility, or other issues. You may know someone is bad for you generally but continue to go back to them because it was warm and familiar, and you miss what you’ve endured together. At a time, you loved this person. It is incredibly difficult for that fact to change. The only true treatment for this is time. Be strong: Block his number, block his social media, plug any possible hole that could lead to him. Surround yourself with friends and activities; find something else to focus on so that you don’t think about it. Keep busy and occupied and utilize your support system. That impulse will fade over time, I promise!
Q: “I’m going into my senior year of high school and am worried the experience won’t be as special as I’ve always hoped. How do I make the most of this school year with everything going on?” – Lorelai
A: Seeing as we have never had to experience this before in our lifetimes, there’s no way I can properly advise you for what to expect. Nonetheless, some important blanket advice: Stay focused, make the most of it, work hard, and bank in as many community service hours as possible. It’ll be so difficult to stare at a computer screen all day, and I deeply empathize with this generation having to go through this. My heart breaks for the fully-online seniors who will not get the same value from their final year in public education. Keep yourself sane with some scenery changes. Bring your device outside, work from the beach, switch couches, etc. Play some calming music in the background if that helps you focus. Make sure you are eating healthy meals at meal times, exercising, and getting enough rest so that you physically set your mind up for success. Do your best to attend all virtual classes because once you start skipping, it’s a slippery slope. If you are a student returning to your campus in person, please be careful! Stay sanitary, wear your mask, and keep your distance. Try your best to treat it like any other semester in terms of participating in clubs or sports because there are ways to bridge the gap between quarantined life and regular life. Release your creativity frequently and stay organized; try to stay attentive and participative to keep yourself going. The best of luck to you, and congratulations on being almost done with high school!
