Sexual tensions on the rise? Suffering from foot-in-mouth syndrome? Freaking out about midterms? E-mail The Daily's own "Dr." K at askdoctork@yahoo.com to get answers to your most pressing issues.
Q: Dear Doctor K - Each fall semester I've been at Tufts (I'm a junior), I somehow manage to gain the dreaded "freshman 15." All the beer, munchies, and easily accessible greasy dining hall food definitely contribute. I'm feeling pretty bad about this, and I know that my extra poundage is not attractive to the ladies. I can't help but think that my love life would be improved if only I could get rid of some chub. What can I do to shape up and get noticed?
- Chubbed-out Charlie
A: The "freshman 15" is a cutesy term that serves as a fine justification for first-year students to gain some weight. However, it was ok the first time - but most people learn how to control themselves after the first few months! Excessive beer drinking can definitely cause weight gain, due to the amount of calories taken in with each binge drinking session. Just for fun, let's look at the damage done by a typical night of mass drinking:
Average can of Bud Light: 110 calories. Multiply this by your first six-pack to "pre-party" and you're up to 660 calories. Now add in a few mandatory chugs and a few games of Panama, and you're talking well over 1,000 calories - pretty amazing, considering you should be getting around 2,200 calories per DAY! And being hung over the next day certainly won't stimulate any sort of interest in getting your ass out of bed and out for a run.
There's this little place on campus called "the gym." It's quite nice, and although lines for some of the more popular cardio machines can be frustrating, Cousens still offers a fair amount of clean, suitable equipment to whip any student into shape. My suggestion is that you start by walking over to the gym and find a trainer to help you figure out an exercise program that will get you in shape and feeling good about yourself.
You might want to find a friend who is lacking initiative in terms of physical fitness and join up with him or her. Having someone to work out with definitely provides motivation when it might otherwise be lacking. And, if for no other reason, there are plenty of good-looking scantily clad Tufts students prancing around the gym at any given moment.
Exercise releases the feel-good chemical known as endorphins, which contribute to the "runner's high" you might have heard about. Why don't you try this natural chemical to get high instead of other means, which will just lead you to continue late-night munchy sessions at Espresso's. You'll feel a lot better about yourself, and your new healthy habits will ward off future weight gain.
Q: Dear Doctor K-
Freshman year has been great so far. I'm having trouble keeping up in my classes, but I've met so many cute boys that it is kind of hard to pay attention. There is one boy in particular that I think I'm really starting to like: my professor! I've never liked older men before, but he seems so intelligent and sensitive - totally a different class from the boys I meet in the dorms. What should I do? I've gone to his office hours a few times so I could have the chance to talk to him, and I've been sending out signals, if you know what I mean. He's always so kind and receptive, so I think he may even like me, but I think he could be married! What should I do?
- Student in love
A: I have to put it bluntly: don't even think about it! Stop for a moment and really think about what you are saying. To even consider having a potential love affair with your professor is a certified guarantee that your life will become infinitely more complicated, will affect your grades, and will lead you to emotional problems that you never knew you could encounter.
You are only a freshman, and it doesn't seem like you've given yourself a chance to really experience relationships with guys your own age at college. Although most guys (and girls for that matter) our age are after only one thing, there are guys who are actually interested in more than just sex (gasp!). In fact, if you gave yourself a chance, you would get to meet many interesting people who you share a lot more in common with than a professor old enough to be your father.
I understand that your professor may be sensitive, intelligent, caring, and a truly interesting person. But he is your professor. He is here to teach you about his scholarly pursuits in hopes of enriching your life - not personal tutoring sessions on sex education. In addition, this could pose some serious legal problems for both of you. If anyone were to find out, and someone definitely would, your professor could get fired from his job and possibly in trouble with the law. Your college life is at risk here, and one of the supposedly best times of your life could end up being the most traumatic and emotionally unstable.
Don't put yourself through this. Understand that you may have feelings for your professor, but let them go. Acting out on your feelings will undoubtedly lead to a lot of complexity that you certainly don't need - college life is difficult enough on its own!
Try talking to a close friend who you trust. By confiding in a friend, she will hopefully help you to understand what you really need in your life right now. Meet other people, and don't be put off by the guys you meet. By focusing on your own life and the lives of peers around you, you will find people who share the same concerns, desires, and interests - and you will enjoy your college experience so much more.
