That's What She Said…

TIERNEY MCAFEE
Your Big Break

Going from birds chirping and sun shining to “I found your t-shirt; let me know if you want me to drop it off while you’re not home” is never easy.  But there are better ways to lift your spirits after a breakup than with a bottle of Smirnoff and a faintly attractive rebound.
1.  Reconnect with friends:  Chances are you lost touch with some of your best buds thanks to that temporary insanity we call love.  Give your old pals a call; they’re there for support.  If you squeeze out a couple tears, they probably won’t bitch at you for spending the past six months in bed with your bygone boo.
2. Watch stuff:  Sictoms are a surefire way to remind yourself that things aren’t really as bad as they seem.  While your loose ends probably won’t be neatly tied up within a 30 minunte time frame, sometimes you just want to go where everybody knows your name.
3.  Get involved:  As Freud famously said, “Love and work…work and love, that’s all there is.”  A breakup is the perfect opportunity to put the love part on hold and focus on your schoolwork and extracurricular activities for a change.  Staying busy is the best way to keep those sappy memories of ice skating hand-in-hand with your former flame on the back burner.  Plus it’s good for your GPA.
Most importantly, do not call your jilted lover. Exes are like cigarettes, you need to quit them cold turkey- at least for a while.  If only they made the relationship patch. Instead, call a trusted friend or family member for a quick fix. They love you too.
After you’ve had time to recuperate, you might want to try being on friendly terms with him or her.  Some say it takes half the time you spent in a relationship to get over it. I’m no mathematician, but this seems like a winning equation.
Fight the urge to call until it is only as strong as the vague desire you have to watch “Kyle XY.”  That’s when you know it’s safe to dial your ex’s digits. In the mean time, delete him or her from your cell to prevent those pathetic late-night drunk dials.
I know it would be easier to just meet Bon Jovi in your shrink’s waiting room, but, let’s face it, your life is a far cry from “Sex and the City.”  So slip into those sweatpants and watch “Wedding Crashers” with your friends. You could use a good laugh.
If all else fails, remember, chocolate has endorphins.