Dear Rosie,

I have a problem. The boy I’ve been hooking up with for a little while wants to visit me at home during our next break. Normally this would make me really happy, but when we were first getting to know each other, I told a few white lies to impress him. It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, but if he meets my parents and sees my house he will definitely find out. What should I do?

Sincerely,

Distressed in Drake

Dear Distressed,

Clear things up with him as quickly as possible. This boy is interested in meeting your parents and checking out where you live, which means he is most likely looking for more than a fling. Assess the situation and figure out if this is something you also want. If you like the direction your relationship is heading, sit him down and explain yourself. The most important thing is to be truthful. If you were intimidated by him and were prompted to tell a few lies about your home life, tell him why. Over the last couple months he has probably found more and more endearing qualities in you. Now he wants to visit you over break. Hopefully he will overlook your small mistake and understand that you were only trying to impress him. No matter what: be truthful.

Dear Rosie,

I’m starting to feel as if I keep running into the same people every time I go out at night. I love meeting new people, but everywhere I go I either know or know of everyone in the crowd. I realize Colgate is a small school, but I feel that I am running into only a small percentage of the student population. Any suggestions?

Sincerely,

Gypped at The Jug

Dear Gypped,

You ask a good question. Perhaps the place to start is not where you go at night but whom you know and meet. Since it would be impossible to walk into smaller private parties on campus, try to broaden the friends you make during sober hours of the day. Join a couple of clubs you are interested in and you will most likely meet people you did not know went to Colgate. Another fun way to go about this could be a gym or outdoor education class. People often bond over physical activities they are involved in. Don’t get too discouraged. Believe it or not, a very large percentage of the campus does not go out on a regular basis. Not everyone goes to the Jug, so maybe that is not the best place to meet new people.

If you frequent one place and have a good time, it is likely that the people around you feel the same way. Eventually, the same people keep running into each other. Join a club or two and broaden your friend group. Good luck!