Pine and cycles

Pine. That is the scent that has been dominating my life recently. I never actually knew it was pine until Rebecca pointed it out. I always assumed it was grass, or just the smell of sun. I have a complicated relationship with pine. Maybe it has something to do with allergies, or maybe it has something to do with its bittersweet implications. Pine is the end of the semester, it is Spring Fling, it is goodbyes, it is warmth, it is exams and it is the mark of passing. It is a smell that I associate with leaving the Campus Center, walking on the Prez lawn and seeing actual people on campus. Pine. It makes me realize that another cycle has passed, that I only have one more left, that for some it is their last, while for others their first. For Rebecca and me at NYSD, it has been almost one full cycle of answering questions, useless banter about one another and attempted puns. To everyone that we know who has been reading -- thank you! It's been a pine time. 

Dear NYSD, what are your thoughts on people who have sex in the Tisch stacks?

Pooja: In the recent Not Your Mother's Monologues production, there was a game of "Never have I ever" played with the audience. One person said they had never had sex in the stacks, and in an audience of over 100 people, only one person clapped. So, my thoughts on people having sex in the stacks is that apparently not many are doing it, or that not that many people are owning up to it. Ask this question again post-Spring Fling and we'll see.

Dear NYSD, how do I find a man at the gym?

Pooja: Well firstly, you have to go to the gym -- which is probably the biggest challenge (at least for me). Second, wear non-Tufts apparel. Perhaps a Harvard sweatshirt -- it will catch people's attention (even negative attention is still attention). Get a conversation started and then fall in love.

Dear NYSD, what do I do if I have no summer plans?

Rebecca: It can be stressful if everyone around you is finding internships or research positions, but do not worry! You have options. Pooja and I have spent our summers doing very “off-the-beaten-path” activities ... Pooja wrote horoscopes for a magazine and had loads of fun, while I worked in a lab, which concentrated on raising tilapia, and took classes. While many people might find weighing fish tedious, I found it to be an amazing experience; it was nothing like I expected it to be. Taking classes is also a great plan -- you can bang out some distribution requirements. However, if horoscopes, fish and/or classes are not your things, you can also spend the summer relaxing or working at a summer camp. Whatever you do this summer, make sure that you give yourself time to recover from the snowiest winter Boston has ever seen.

Dear NYSD, what is it like living in an off-campus house?

Rebecca: It’s really different than living in a dorm. I am not sure if I could argue that one is better than the other. Suddenly, there are all of these responsibilities that you never had to think of before. For example, taking the trash out on Sunday nights, replacing batteries in your smoke detectors or paying bills. I recommend that you choose housemates with similar cleaning patterns to you, otherwise it can make for uncomfortable situations. If your housemate is OK with dishes in the sink and you’re not, it’s something you should think about.

That’s all we have for this week. Send us more questions! Seriously, we need them. NOW.