How you can tell whether your friendship is worth keeping or not. — Friendships are a beautiful thing. When you surround yourself with the right people, you feel supported, fulfilled, and nourished. Your friends become your support system: the people you go to share your thoughts, dreams, and struggles. Through them, you can experience a sense of safety and emotional reciprocity. But there…

But should never follow — this is what you do instead. — Every relationship comes with its own ups and downs. When you’re going through a rough patch, friends and family usually come to your rescue — and thank god for that. …

How to make sure your relationship is growing — not stagnating. — Time is a weird concept. First, you’re young and nothing is really expected of you. Next thing you know, you’re older, you’re different, and all of your former selves feel like distant memories. This isn’t a revelation: People change all the time. We’re not meant to remain static. Life experiences…

In defense of the college dropouts of the world. — My mother was upset when I told her I was dropping out of college, but for a good reason: I was one year away from graduating with honors. Call me foolish or crazy — I’ve heard it all. I’m not here to convince you otherwise. …

If you still think otherwise, you’re part of the problem. — If you’ve ever been sexually harassed before, you know it can be unnerving. I consider myself realistic: I know my strengths and weaknesses. My strengths do not include being able to physically fend off big burly men. That’s why I always carry pepper spray in public. Unfortunately, this will never…

How to be the parent you wish you had. — Growing up, we needed our parents to set a good example and to talk to us about everything. But our parents, try as they might, aren’t perfect. Rather than talk to us, they raised us in households where things were either left assumed or unsaid. …

A foolproof guide from someone who made it work. — I’m not going to mince words: Long-distance relationships are difficult. Before my partner and I lived together, we spent five months apart. Thankfully, those days are long gone now, but I kid you not, those five months were hell on earth. I hear a lot of people romanticizing LDRs and…

How to keep good company and avoid bad ones. — I’m obsessed with puppies. But I’m even more obsessed with grown men who play with puppies. Case in point: Here is Keanu Reeves, the internationally famous star of the Matrix, John Wick, and Bill & Ted franchises, playing with puppies while answering fan questions at Buzzfeed. Watch the magic here. …

Yes, there’s such a thing — here’s how to tell if you’re one. — I used to refer to myself as a hardcore introvert. But if you spoke to many of my friends, family, and colleagues, some of the words they would use to describe me are “loud,” “funny,” “a storyteller,” “team-oriented,” and “relationship-focused.” This is an accurate description of my personality. I adore…