Keeping Up With Kelly 2

Dear Kelly, 
As a faculty member, I try to keep up with current trends to connect with my students, but I am finding it particularly difficult as I get older. Yesterday I tried a Harry Styles reference in class because I thought everyone liked him, but it didn’t go over well. PLEASE HELP! What are the cool kids into these days? 
Signed, 
A prehistoric professor 

Hi prehistoric professor! I’m surprised that Harry Styles didn’t get the crowd going because he’s usually a fan favorite. Don’t let it get you down – I’m crazy about Harry and I would have gotten your reference. I would recommend trying a Taylor Swift song instead, especially with her new album coming out. Everyone is reading Colleen Hoover books right now so I would absolutely recommend reading them to fit in with the group, particularly “It Ends with Us” and “Verity”. If you’re looking for a TV show, all your classes have probably seen New Girl and/or Friends, so that’s always a safe bet. Good luck with the youth and let me know how it goes!  

How do you balance your schoolwork and your social life?  

Great question! It’s obviously important to get all your schoolwork turned in on time so I think a big part of that is getting it done early and getting it out of the way. Once you’ve accomplished everything you need to do, you’ll feel so much more relaxed and can dedicate all  

of your free time to hanging out with your roommates and making memories. We’re never going to be this young living with all our best friends again so I would absolutely carve out time to be with your friends and have as much fun as humanly possible!  

Hi Kelly!!!! Any advice for studying for multiple exams or finals in the same week?  

Hi anonymous!!! I think you should prioritize which exams are most important and what you have coming up first. Give most of your focus to the exam that’s most pressing, and then work your way down until you’ve gotten through them all. I also like to have a study session with people in my class because it makes it more fun and you can learn what you’re struggling with off each other. I’m a firm believer in color coded pens and highlighters because it makes studying seem more enjoyable and you can visualize what belongs where! Lastly, don’t forget to treat yourself for all your hard work! Get a pink drink while you work!  

Dear Kelly, how do I tell my roommate I don’t want to live with her next year?  

This is always a tough conversation but sometimes it needs to happen! I would say to get all your thoughts in order and figure out what you want to say first. Talk to them alone, not in front of a group, and give them your main points without raising your voice. Maybe you don’t really have compatible living styles, or you want to live with people from a sports team, or you just have two different friend groups, so it makes more sense to part ways! And make sure you do it early enough to leave them enough time to make new living arrangements. Expect that the conversation might not go over so well but be honest and kind. At the end of the day, some people just aren’t meant to live together and you might be one of them. As long as you tell the truth without hurting their feelings, you did the right thing!