Dear Blake,
I’m a sophomore college student who has finally settled in with a group of friends I love and really connect with. However, one girl in our group throws full-on temper tantrums where she cries, storms off or exerts negative energy to the point that it ruins the night for the rest of us. These fits of temper seem to be caused by anything and everything, and have reached a point where my friends and I feel anxious being around her. What do we do? And how do we deal with someone who cries at the tiniest of perceived “slights”?
Signed, Sheila
From Sioux City, Iowa
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Dear Sheila,
Some people are hypersensitive and can easily get extremely emotional over minor things. But the lady you are referring to is going too far and should be treated as if she were a runaway from a leper colony. Here are some ideas for starters. Anytime she’s around, you and your other friends should communicate exclusively through texts. Hopefully when she doesn’t get any notifications on her cell phone, she’ll take the hint. Another option is for you and your other friends to learn a foreign language. Consider Italian, since they always use their hands while speaking, and if you guys wave them enough, your overreacting friend might not want to get close or she might get “accidentally” hit. In old black and white movies, when a woman got hysterical, someone would slap her back into reality. If you want to do this with your easily excitable friend, consider using a closed fist. And my last suggestion is this. The next time your friend gives one of her Oscar winning performances, you and your other friends should use megaphones, and simultaneously shout, “SHUT UP!” If you do this enough times it’ll probably damage her eardrums, and eventually she’ll have no idea what you guys are saying due to her dramatic hearing loss. I hope this helps.
Blake