Dear Monica

This issue's Dear Monica column was guest written by Vanessa Lewis '12.

Dear Monica,
This year I switched shops to my number one choice but had to change weeks as well. The problem is that now all my friends are in A-weeks and I feel like I have no friends. To make things worse, my old friends are all in the same week and are starting to leave me out. I love my new shop but I hate losing my friends. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Miss Lonely

Dear Miss Lonely,
To get my shop choice, the school also had to switch my weeks. Although I left my best friends behind, it was more worth it than being in a shop you don't enjoy. Also, you will become friends with the people in your new shop so easily, since you are with them all the time and you have so much in common. You won't lose your old friends, just try hard to keep in touch, and in the meantime you will make some great new ones.

Dear Monica,
My friend and I play on a sports team for Diman together. Every day I get lunch and eat but my friend never eats. Then at practice or games she always feels sick or dizzy. How can I convince her that it's important for her to eat lunch?
Sincerely,
Concerned Teammate

Dear Concerned Teammate,
I'm assuming that your friend is not eating because of a weight issue, and your friend feels that by not eating, she will lose weight. But here is the truth: skipping meals actually makes you gain weight. Because your body thinks it is starving, when you consume food after not eating, your body saves and stores the calories as fat. Therefore, you actually gain weight. So encourage your friend to eat a little something at lunch time, and let her know that it's better than eating nothing.