Incoming college student has roomie worries
Do people go up to overweight people and laugh at them? Bald people?
It looks like people won't stop their tasteless jokes, so how do I get past it?
-- S&F (Short and Fed up)
Dear S&F: I am so sorry for your family's loss -- and also genuinely sorry that you are having these experiences. I completely agree with you that commenting about (and shaming or making fun of) people because of the way their body is constructed is unkind -- and NOT funny!
I also think it's OK for you to be perfectly honest about it, and to say, "Wait a minute. I'm an adult. I don't really want to be compared to your child." Or "Do you really think it's cool to make fun of my height here at church?"
The people who do this will then react with disdain when you call them out. They will accuse you of not having a sense of humor.
Please, do not care about how people react when you respond honestly. That's you standing tall.
Dear Amy: "Chatty Sister" wrote about her brother's insistence on total silence when studying for the LSAT test for admission to law school.
Your answer was OK, but I would have told this brother that he will need to adjust to studying and concentrating in a noisy environment, both for taking the test, and later for practicing law.
-- Lawyer
Dear Lawyer: Absolutely. Great point. Cutting through (and concentrating through) the noise is an invaluable skill for all sorts of professions.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
