Sections

Dear Eliana,

Word was sent down recently that school will be closed tomorrow because of the snow. Obviously, you won’t be able to respond to my question before time runs out on the all precious snow day, but I’m sure there will be more cancellations, and I could use your advice for then. Should I bother waking up at my normally scheduled time? I have to get out of bed by 8 in order to make my morning classes, and I feel like I should treat a day off like any other in order to stay within my routine. Plus, there’s still work that needs to get done in time, so I should at least try to get things done. Or should I sleep in as much as I want and spend the whole day watching movies? Snow days should be revered and cherished, and I don’t want to feel any regrets by the end of it.

-Don’t Snow What To Do

Dear Don’t Snow What To Do,

A snow day is a rare and wonderful thing, and you are right that full advantage should be taken of this gift. I would suggest splitting the time between catching up on work and slacking off. Sleep in, but don’t sleep in until three in the afternoon, sleep in until 10 or 10:30. That way, you can get up in a relaxed fashion, but still have time to accomplish some academic stuff. Just be aware of your day and try to find a balance. For example, watch a movie with your friends, then complete a chapter of required reading. Sled down the hill next to the library, then write a page of an essay. This way the day won’t feel like it was a waste, or that it lacked in fun.

-Eliana

Dear Eliana,

I’m on the 10-meal and points combo plan, and I had used up all of my points last semester before Halloween. I tried to use them sparingly, but milkshakes at the C-store called me like a siren’s song. The problem I had was that I couldn’t find out exactly how many points I had left on my card. How do you suggest I ration out my points better so that I don’t end up starving over finals because I only have 10 meals a week?

-Going Hungry

Dear Going Hungry,

My first tip for you is that you practice some self control every once in a while. Before you get something just think to yourself, “Do I really need a bagel from Einstein’s right after I have just eaten lunch?” Second, if you want to know how many points you have left, there is a nifty website that will give you that information. If you go to the Brandeis website, under University Services, just go to the section about your campus card, and look for a link on the right side of the page that allows you to view your meal plan profile. Then log in with your Unet ID and password and voila! You now have a page that will tell you how many points you have and if you do some Googling, you can even find a calendar that will tell you how many points you should have each week if you want to stay on track to still have enough points by the end of the semester. If after this you still have problems, you might want to consider changing meal plans for next semester.

-Eliana

Dear Eliana,

I was sort of dating this girl during the fall, and she gave me her Netflix password to log on to her account and watch whatever, whenever. Problem is that over the break, I didn’t talk to her at all, and I think she’s mad at me. But I have been using her Netflix account frequently, since she hasn’t reset the password and am planning on doing so this semester, even if I don’t talk to her. Do you think I should at least say something to her? What about still using her account? Should I bring that up, or just ride the account while it lasts? Is it OK to borrow someone’s account if they probably wouldn’t want me to?

– Netflix Is My Girlfriend Now

Dear Netflix Is My Girlfriend Now,

Even though Netflix is slightly vital to a college student’s survival, it is not super cool of you to use someone’s Netflix account without her knowing. Especially if she is mad at you and probably doesn’t want you to use it. If you are going to keep using it, I would at least let her know so she can change the password if she so wishes. Tell her that you still have access. Another thing about your situation is that, from what you wrote, you have bigger problems than a Netflix account. You may want to figure out where you stand with this girl in your relationship. It usually helps to talk to a person to establish the status of your relationship or things can get uncomfortable. Maybe get your own Netflix account, or ask a friend who is comfortable with letting you use their account instead.

-Eliana

Dear Readers,
If you can’t already tell, this is an advice column, and I’m here to help you with any questions that you might have! If you want more exciting questions, send them in, and I will do my best to answer them. Whether it’s relationships, social problems or just life in general—send them here. I can’t wait to start hearing about everyone’s problems (How often do you hear people say that? Oh yeah: never). Send questions to ElianasAdvice@gmail.com. Thanks!
-Eliana