Question: Being tired all the time. I have a late class tuesdays and thursdays and I work full time. I try and get as much sleep as I can but it’s so hard to feel energized through out the day. I’ve tried coffee, energy drinks… the bags under my eyes are becoming permanent and I’m worried my school work is going to suffer and my mental heath

Dear Sacrificial Sleeper,

It seems like there’s just not enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to get done. It’s good that you’ve prioritized your concerns and put school at the top. The next step should be to evaluate the quality of the sleep you’re able to get. Do you get the recommended seven-eight hours? Do you sleep all the way through the night? Do you have bad dreams? Do you snore? These could be contributing to lower quality sleep which leaves you feeling tired throughout the day. These can be hard to track but being a little systematic might help you figure out how to capitalize on your sleep hours. This is by no means medical advice in any way, but sometimes it’s something more than just “feeling tired” and a chat with a medical professional might help you get some answers. Taking care of yourself is important and you’re right, things will start to suffer if you aren’t proactive. Give yourself grace and try not to burn the candle at both ends. Life is hard enough already.

Question: How do I know when its time to cut off a parent after years of manipulation?

Dear Cutting the Chord,

It seems like you already know the answer to this question – simply asking it implies that you think it’s time. This kind of decision can be difficult and it can come with a lot of grief and guilt. It might sound harsh, but like with all relationships, it’s good to ask if you feel better or worse after spending time with them. Do you mutually benefit from the relationship or is it one-sided? As cliche as it sounds, writing out a pros and cons list might put the decision into perspective for you. Just because this person is a parent doesn’t mean they’re entitled to abuse, disrupt, disrespect, threaten or shame you. Perhaps cutting this parent off will be the wake-up call they need to change their behavior and after some time apart you can entertain the idea of getting to know them again. Because there’s an inherent power dynamic at play here, it might feel like you owe this parent something like time, attention or respect, but if it’s hurting you then it’s warranted to restrict that. Some people just aren’t meant to be parents but end up being one anyway and it’s not their fault, but it’s not your fault either. Take care of yourself first.

Question: Recently, I was eating strawberry ice cream, but wanted Taco Bell. I decided that the best thing to do would be to combine the ice cream with my crunchy wrap. I cut open my crunchy wrap and spoond the ice cream in and it was awesome. That has now been my dinner for the past three days. I think I’m addicted, but I know its not good for me and my mate thinks it’s weird. It’s literally the best part of my day. Should I stop eating that for dinner? Or should I focus on my own happiness?

Dear Sweet n’ Savory,

You clearly have a very refined pallet if you’re able to conjure up such a creative dinner. The word addictive is a pretty bold statement and just because you’re fixated on this new food doesn’t mean it’s an addiction. As long as you find pleasure in the food and it’s not disrupting your life, then have at it. It seems like this new ritual is important to you and if it makes you happy then why stop? Maybe after a while, the meal will lose its luster and you’ll find something new like a BLT with marshmallow fluff. Until then, make sure you eat some vegetables at breakfast and lunch, but most importantly enjoy yourself. Last, if this is something that makes you truly happy and your friends are making fun of you for it, perhaps it’s time for a vulnerable bro-to-bro conversation about it. Good friends don’t need to understand why something is the best part of your day, they should be happy that you’re happy.