Miss Stripe, the days that I smoke weed are significantly better than the days that I don’t. I’m more productive, I can actually view my work with pride, I feel more confident, and I am generally happier. I grew up with the knowledge that weed regresses you as a person, so that stays with me. There is also the worry that I won’t be taken seriously if I express that I’ve actually experienced benefits. Miss Stripe, which side of my logic is holding me back?
Your method sounds like it’s working, but I think the issue is that you are embarrassed that it works. While smoking pot is nothing to be ashamed of, many factors could be contributing to your shame including financial, societal, or personal aspects. I’ll tell you this: people at this college aren’t judging you. In fact, you’ll find a lot of friends who function similarly. If you’re experimenting in the chemistry lab, maybe don’t smoke a joint beforehand, but if you’re producing meaningful,SAFE work, it’s okay! If you can’t overcome your overthinking, perhaps make it a “sexy” secret, something you do recreationally for yourself. If you tell yourself it’s a tool rather than framing it as a bad thing, you’ll be able to destigmatize smoking for yourself.
Dear Miss Stripe, I’m working hard to obtain my degree here but I can’t help but feel an underlying sense of dread. I’m not a nepo baby nor do I have connections, I’m worried I won’t be able to get a job after graduation. How do I aid this feeling?
As a generation, we’re all in this together. It’s hard when you’ve been told since elementary school to pick a career during career day, being told to pick a major and being asked questions like “What are you gonna do?” Then you get to this point where there really aren’t any good job opportunities available. In this day and age, many jobs are posted on Indeed and are applied for by AI bots, so no one will ever read your application. It’s worth it to just be okay with your twenties being a shit show, a mess where you sort of figure it out on your own. You don’t have to have the perfect job lined up after you’re done with your liberal arts degree. It’s okay to be a barista or a bartender. A lot of people feel this sense of encroaching doom because they think that their education ends when they graduate, but you can remake yourself, many times over, as much as you need. And with all the nasty AI bot stuff, this makes your in-person connections more valuable. No one knows what the fuck they’re doing and everyone’s figuring it out one step at a time.
But if you’re passionately set on “making it” after college, there’s a generous offering of nepo babies at this school, and I would recommend you become a duplicitous person and befriend them while you can.
Dear Miss Stripe, I have a crush on a professor. Now what?
The love of your life is not at Bennington College. I think your ideal path here is to not pursue anything; instead, fall into a trance of horrible longing. Allow this to make you look forward to going to class, doll yourself up, charm yourself through that whole fucking course, and get that good grade! After all, you don’t return bad work to your crush. We all know how this story ends. Let it motivate you through class, graduate, and don’t do anything. After all, this will be a great story for a dinner party in 10 years.
Dear Miss Stripe, Sometimes I feel left out because I’m the only one of my friends studying in STEM. I feel like I never see them, and I’m constantly excluded. Is this an error on my end? How do I change this?
Every person knows what’s going on if you’re an actor or a literature student, because we understand what that entails. But the average Bennington student really just doesn’t know what STEM is or how it’s done. If you need help decompressing, go to office hours, talk to your professors, and get it off your chest that way. Most importantly, you need to diversify your friend portfolio. Keep your artsy friends who smoke outside of VAPA while also being more social in Dickinson. Take a theology class, take a lab class where you have to talk to other people, and go to STEM based events. You should get into that grindset both academically and socially.
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