Now let’s fast forward to November… (continued)
PIC 1 -- The friends are having Thanksgiving lunch in the cafeteria.
CAPTION: Lunch in the Cafeteria
PIC 2 -- Close up of Travis
CAPTION: Travis got dumped. You’ve never seen him so unhappy. He posted a bunch of sad song lyrics online and disappeared for three weeks.
TRAVIS THOUGHT BUBBLE: I just needed time to think about things. But now I’m behind in all my classes.
PIC 3 -- Close up of Anna and Margot
CAPTION: Anna’s been getting pressure from Margot to come out to her parents.
MARGOT THOUGHT BUBBLE: What’s the big deal? I came out in junior high.
ANNA THOUGHT BUBBLE: I’m living a double life--one at school and another at home. Sometimes I think my head’s gonna explode.
PIC 4 -- Close up of Taylor and a latte.
CAPTION: Taylor parties and studies hard… AND has a stressful journalism internship. She barely sleeps and lives on lattes and caffeine pills.
TAYLOR THOUGHT BUBBLE: Seriously fantasizing about going to bed at 8pm tonight. But I have a party at 9...
PIC 5 -- Jesse, looking at Taylor. He has a Movember mustache
CAPTION: Jesse hasn’t drunk any alcohol since getting plastered at Halloween and hitting on Taylor. She said she just wants to be friends.
JESSE THOUGHT BUBBLE: If this mustache doesn’t impress her, then nothing will. Maybe I should post an ad on that sci-fi dating app…
MORGAN: Now let’s jump ahead another month to Jesse’s birthday, during finals week…
PIC 1 -- Friends at Jesse’s birthday party
CAPTION: Jesse’s Birthday (during finals week!)
PIC 2 -- Close-up of Jesse
CAPTION: Jesse went on a few online dates, but they were super awkward.
JESSE THOUGHT BUBBLE: So what if I’m chronically single? At least I’ll always have my video games.
PIC 3 -- Close-up of Anna, looks sad
CAPTION: No dessert for Anna. Instead, it’s her usual diet: a salad with carrots, crackers, and flavored water.
ANNA CAPTION: I’m dreading winter break. I don’t want to go home.
PIC 4 -- Close-up of Taylor, she looks very happy
CAPTION: Taylor realized she was trying to do too much. She dropped one of her classes and started doing yoga.
TAYLOR: I got eight hours of sleep last night. I’m the queen of the world!
PIC 5 -- Close-up of Travis; he has a little paunch
CAPTION: Travis has been drinking a lot. He went to one of his finals drunk, after partying all night.
TRAVIS THOUGHT BUBBLE: I haven’t painted in months. I never feel creative anymore.
MORGAN: Now let’s fast forward one last month… to Travis’s last art show before he changes majors.
PIC 1 -- Picture of friends at Travis’s art show
CAPTION: Back from break and at Travis’s art show
PIC 2 -- Close-up of Travis, he’s now at his conversation weight, he’s standing in the corner
CAPTION: Travis’s grades were too low. He lost his scholarship, and his parents are making him switch to a more “practical” major.
TRAVIS THOUGHT BUBBLE: People need to stop telling me how much weight I’ve gained. They should mind their own damned business.
PIC 3 -- Close-up of Jesse with a girl. She looks a bit like a “library type”
CAPTION: Jesse made a new friend in class.
JESSE THOUGHT BUBBLE: Nicole has read the whole hobbit ninja trilogy. I think I’m in love!
NICOLE: What a sweet guy! I hope he’s okay just being friends...
PIC 4 -- Close-up of Anna, Margot, and Anna’s mom; Anna looks happy.
CAPTION: Anna came out to her parents. They were surprised but supportive. Her mom came into town to meet Margot.
ANNA THOUGHT BUBBLE: This is surreal… But wonderful! Now I have to break it to them that we’re going to Italy together this summer… But one thing at a time.
PIC 5 -- Close-up of Taylor and new man (he is yoga-like and has dreads in a man bun)
CAPTION: Taylor’s internship turned into a part-time job at the news station. She’s celebrating with her yoga instructor.
TAYLOR: What can I say, I love guys with man buns!
MORGAN: Now that you’ve seen these friends over time, some behaviors might stand out to you as extreme. Other behaviors might blend together to show a change that seems extreme. This is often how it is in real life. When we notice extreme behavior or extreme changes in behavior in our friends, we often sense something is wrong, even if we’re not sure what it is.
So, which of these friends do you think is most in distress?
FEEDBACK:
- TAYLOR: Taylor has had some stress lately and in the past she’s pushed herself physically by not getting enough sleep and relying on caffeine to get through the day. It’s good that you’re concerned and it would be nice to reach out and see how she feels about everything that’s been going on. However, you have another friend who seems like a more immediate concern. Please try again.
- ANNA: Anna has been under a lot of stress lately. Coming out can be a challenging and very personal choice. It’s difficult to know how loved ones may react, and no one should feel pressured into it. Anna’s stress about coming out may have impacted her restrictive eating habits. You should be concerned if she begins to lose weight or lack energy, or if her problems with her parents start to recur. It’s good that you’re concerned and it would be nice to reach out and see how she feels about everything that’s been going on. However, you have another friend who seems like a more immediate concern. Please try again.
- JESSE: Jesse seems lonely and has been under some emotional strain lately. He drank an unhealthy amount at the Halloween party, which led to regrets. It’s good that you’re concerned and it would be nice to reach out and see how he feels about everything that’s been going on. However, you have another friend who seems like a more immediate concern. Please try again.
- TRAVIS: Yes. Travis has changed a lot lately. He’s disappeared for a long period of time, started drinking more, got behind in school, had bad grades, lost his scholarship, gained weight, and now has to change his major. Big changes like this—especially over a short period of time—can mean that a friend is under intense stress. Your other friends also have their ups and downs, but on the whole they seem able to adequately handle their day-to-day lives. Taylor’s tendency to push herself too hard, Anna’s family stress and eating habits, and Jesse’s loneliness are reasons to be concerned—and you should ask them every now and then how they’re doing—but Travis’s behavior is more extreme right now, and it makes sense for you to be more worried about him.