Advice from Sally Seahawk

Advice+from+Sally+Seahawk

Genevieve Guenther

Sally Seahawk, Contributing Writer

Q: I don’t know what to get my SO for Christmas. It should obviously be nice and personal, but being a broke college student I’m not sure what to get that is within my budget.

A: Being a broke college student garners more problems than one might imagine. However, finding a meaningful Christmas present for your significant other should not be one of them! There are many inexpensive gifts you can buy or make yourself. After a quick Pinterest search, I found a few cute gifts that anyone can make for a low price.

This may seem a little cheesy, but you can never go wrong with a photo. You can buy a cute photo frame for less than five dollars at any store. You can even buy a basic frame and decorate it with things your significant other loves. Doing so will make your gift more personal. It only costs about 30 cents to print out a good-sized photo. You can conveniently print it from your phone at any drug store, or at the Kodak printer at the back of Randall.

You can also try filling any box or jar with meaningful things. This can include filling a box with cute date night ideas, filling a mason jar with reasons why you love your SO, or filling a stocking with candy that you know your significant other loves. Any of these can make for an effective and meaningful gift that your partner will like because you put your effort (and love) into making it.

I would suggest that you always give the people you love cards during the holidays, even if you must make it yourself. A card is a very cheap but effective way to make sure that your significant other knows that you are thinking about them. Gifts are always nice, but getting a handwritten note from someone you love will always beat getting a present.

I am sure that anything you buy or make for your significant other will make them happy. The gesture of giving presents is more meaningful than the present itself. No matter what you buy or make your SO will love it because it came from you, not because of where you got it or how much it costs. If you put thought and effort into your present, your Christmas will go off without a hitch.

-Sally Seahawk

Q: So, I have been talking this guy for a bit on Tinder. He recently asked me on a date and I said yes because I didn’t want to turn him down but I really don’t want to go. How do I get out of it?

A: Firstly, you should never feel obligated to say yes to anything you don’t want to do. Even if you think it will make him feel bad, you can’t always say yes to people you are not interested in.

Backing out of plans you made isn’t exactly the nicest thing to do, but if you didn’t want to go on this date in the first place you should probably let him know. If you go on this date when you know you have no interest in him, you will waste both his and your time. It would be in your best interest to tell him the truth; that you’re not actually interested in him and would like to cancel the date. It may seem a little harsh, but if you know that you are not interested in this guy there is no reason to make him think that you are by accepting his invitation. There is also no reason to put yourself through an experience you know you are not going to enjoy.

I think it is common for people in the dating realm to go on dates with people they’re not interested in just to ‘give them a chance’. Going out with someone that has peaked your interest in some way is fine. However, going out with someone who you’ve been chatting with and know you have nothing in common is a bad idea. It is very unlikely that going on a date with someone will magically change your opinion about them. There is a difference between being picky and entering a relationship with someone who meets your standards and expectations. Only dating men who are 5-foot-11.5 and wear exclusively Nike products is being picky. Only dating men who are attentive, respectful and share your sense of humor is what it means to have standards.

In the future, never be afraid to say no to someone. There are nice ways to say no if you are afraid of coming off as rude. If the person you are talking to becomes persistent or violent in any way it is best to cut all contact with them and report them to a higher authority if necessary.

-Sally Seahawk

Q: What should I bring to Friendsgiving? 

A: Pull out the big guns and bring the turkey to your Friendsgiving. It is a ton of work to make a turkey. It takes all day to prep and cook that huge bird. It may not seem worth your time when you could easily go to Harris Teeter and buy some pre-cooked chicken, but your friends will thank you for it. You will be the MVP for years to come. I brought the turkey to my Friendsgiving a few years ago and my friends still rave about that time I cooked a whole turkey for them. If you want to gain a few good friend-points (or you’re just a great friend) bringing the turkey is a good move.

Bring something unexpected. Your friends can have mashed potatoes or mac and cheese at anyone’s house on Thanksgiving Day. Try making a new dish or putting a spin on a traditional one. Bring nachos, burgers or something else you wouldn’t expect to eat on Thanksgiving. There are also plenty of recipes online that you can look through to find something fun and delicious.

If you are hosting your Friendsgiving, make it themed! I wouldn’t force anyone to dress up but having a theme for your friends to follow could make your get together more fun. For example, you can try making only finger foods. Or you can have your friends bring a dish from their favorite restaurant for everyone to try. This is a great way to put a spin on your Friendsgiving while still including everyone.

Instead of bringing food to your friends, try bringing your friends to the food! If you don’t want to worry about bringing a dish to your friends, try suggesting getting everyone together at one of your favorite restaurants. It could be an old deli in your hometown, somewhere (semi) fancy like The Cheesecake Factory, or even McDonalds. What really matters at Friendsgiving is that you are with all your friends. What or where you eat doesn’t really matter at long as you are with the people that you love.

-Sally Seahawk