it’s a family affair, until one sister needs some breathing room

    Dear V,

    My younger sister and I go to school here together. I am a junior and she is a freshman. I am really happy that she decided to come to UM because I love her so much, and she is truly one of my best friends. However, I am having a bit of a problem because she only ever wants to hang out with me and my friends! At first, I didn’t mind it at all because she’s a lot of fun to hang out with, but I have found myself getting more and more annoyed with her being around because she is ALWAYS around. Of course, I think that it’s great if she hangs around with me a few days a week, and obviously I love her to death because is my sister, but I don’t know how to tell her that I think she needs to make some new friends without sounding really mean and hurting her feelings.

    Family Matters

    Dear Reader,

    I hope that you know how lucky you are for having such a tight bond with your sibling. Many people do not have the good fortune of not only getting along with their siblings but of also enjoying their company. This being said, however, I can understand why you need a little space.

    Perhaps you ought to gently remind her that her freshman year of college is a time for her to develop herself independent of her former environment, your family. Furthermore, it is fairly counterproductive of her to be so dependent on a group of friends two years her senior considering that you guys will likely be out of here in two years; if she fails to make any friends her own age, she probably won’t be a happy camper when you guys all make your departure. Likewise, speaking from personal experience, my very best friends from college are the people I met my freshman year. I think that it might be a wise idea to let her know (gently!) that she needs to find some friends of her own.

    If you remind her that you’ll always be around for her when she needs you, your chat and her detachment process will probably go a lot smoother.

    Best of Luck!

    V.

    Fact O’ the Day.According to one sociological study, only 7% percent of women who have involved themselves in short-term relationships are physically satisfied with the sex.

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