So You're Clingy: A Guide To Non-Romantic Obsessions
Valentineâs Day is upon is, and that means weâre all thinking about our significant othersâŚand no, not necessarily romantic ones. For all of you who missed out on cuffing season or don't have a bae to fantasize about during the next boring CS lecture, don't forget all those other 'special someones' in your life: roommates, friends, even that 'adorkable' TF. But just because someone is âsignificantâ to you, how do you know those feelings are mutual? And more importantly, when does clingy become too clingy? We've assessed all your non-romantic relationships, and here's what we found.
Friends
Symptoms: You always need to know where they are, in case your life falls apart unexpectedly. You hate it when they talk to other people in the Dhall. Their roommates are asking you to get your stuff out of their common room.
Pros: You never have to eat a meal alone. You never have to be social if you donât want to be. You have someone to support your stupid ideas and do them with you.
Cons: You probably donât have any other friends â and you donât think you need them. You deal with paranoia and friendship jealousy on a daily basis. New friends wonât approach you because they know youâre taken.
Roommates
Symptoms: You make jokes about what they look like without make-up to feel superior to their friends. You have a sign-out whiteboard by the door so you can always know where they are. You feel cheated on when they sleep over with their significant other.
Pros: Your home feels like a home because your roommate is family. You know exactly who to live with next year (and all the years after that). You can share wardrobes.
Cons: You hate knowing that they have friends who live beyond your room. You canât avoid them if youâre in a fight. Your suitemates canât stand your late-night giggling.
Professors
Symptoms: You go to office hours every week â and you lie about the location of their office when classmates ask you. You sit in the front row of lecture. They always call on you because you are the only one whose name they know. You have invited them to âClassroom to Tableâ meals at least once a week.
Pros: You have someone to write future recs. You are probably getting a good grade in the class. You get to spend Harvardâs money on âClassroom to Tableâ lunch.
Cons: The rest of your class definitely hates you. The prof might also hate you, because they wanted to write a chapter of their new book during office hours. And your TFs might hate you too for being a try hard.
Sections
Symptoms: You only study with people from your section. You hate when kids from other sections show up to your class because your TF is better. You organize events unrelated to class, like Ec10b and chill.
Pros: Group work leads to higher grades â there is a lot of research on this. Your pset friends might become actual friends. You always know who to sit with during lecture.
Cons: You are notoriously exclusive. You never bother to meet your future spouse who sits behind you in lecture. You will face the inevitable break-up of the group at the end of the semester.