Question the Quail! #2
Dear Quail,
Housing lottery numbers just came out for fall term, and I was not originally planning on living in the house. However, behind excomm members, I have the highest pick in my year (!!) in the house and I am being inundated with requests from people I barely know to be my roommate. The problem is that I am an extreme people pleaser and I am having a hard time rejecting just one person, let alone the half-dozen who have asked to be my roomie. To top it off, I don’t even want to live in the house! I don’t have a lot of friends in the house and I want to live in Bechtel with my friends. Quail, what do I do?
From,
Hassled by Housemates
Dear Hassled,
If you have a viable path to living in Bechtel, do not feel bad or let anyone guilt you into turning down a “high” house pick. Tell everyone who asks that you’re sorry you have to turn them down, but you’re already planning on living in Bechtel. From your letter, I feel like you may have a bit of reputation in the house as a pushover. Don’t be afraid to “coincidentally” have these conversations in the presence of friends or over text, where it’s easier to reject someone. However, if you don’t have a way to live in Bechtel, I’d take the house pick, even if you don’t really vibe with your house. Ask a friend in the house, or the least undesirable option out of the people who have asked you, to be your roommate. The sooner you pick, the faster you can turn down people without accidentally committing to multiple roommates. There are few fates worse than ending up in a Marks/Braun double.
Hope next year works out for you!
Quail
Dear Quail,
I recently bought a HydroJug™ and I am loving my new water bottle! I’ve never felt healthier and I drink like a half gallon of water every day. However, I would estimate that I lose my HydroJug™ maybe twice a day. I think at this point I’ve left it in every one of my classes and it’s only week three! How do I stop losing my HydroJug™??? For context, this is like the only thing I lose on a regular basis, so I don’t think I have a problem with misplacing objects, just this particular one that I’m not used to carrying/is weirdly shaped.
From,
Legendary Liquid Loser
Dear Loser,
As a former frequent loser of objects, I highly empathize. Have you considered buying a carabiner or similar device so that you can clip your water bottle onto your belt loop? Keeping it in your backpack/laptop bag/purse/drawstring bag and immediately returning it to this designated location after you use it? Or, perhaps an AirTag™ or Tile™ you can attach to the water bottle so that you can reliably find it when you lose it? Another method you can use is a checklist. Keep a small post-it note in your wallet/phone case or set your phone background as a reminder to NOT forget your HydroJug™.
Good luck,
Quail
Quail,
I really want to eat breakfast at Browne so I can try those fluffy fluffy pancakes 🥞 but they stop serving them by 10:30am and I never get there on time. What do I do?
Signed,
Pancake Pal
Dear Pal,
How about recruiting another Pancake Pal? Get a friend to agree to go with you and use them as a sort of “accountability buddy”. Set an alarm, or five, and use your friend’s hypothetical disappointment as motivation to get out of bed, brush your teeth, and get those pancakes! Worst case, if you can’t make it, Trader Joe’s is right on Lake.
Quail
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