Vicki the Viking, Campus Carrier advice columnist

I’m Vicki the Viking, and you might know my brother, Victor. I love long boat rides across the seas and supporting my fellow Vikings. I happen to be the best person to come to for advice in all of our 27,000 acres. 

If you have any burning questions, like how to handle trouble with your friends, how to resolve conflict with your significant other or what to do in any situation that you’re unsure about, I’m your gal. If you’re worried about everyone finding out who you are, don’t be! 

Whenever you submit a question, it is completely anonymous. Make sure to submit questions to me by going to the Campus Carrier’s Facebook page and clicking the link to my page. 

Dear Vicki,

I have a friend who I am afraid to talk to about issues that have come up in our friendship. Actually I am just afraid to talk to her in general, and I don’t know what to do about it. She also tells me that my other friends are bad friends even though they aren’t bad friends at all.

Sincerely, Frustrated Friend

Dear Frustrated Friend,

It’s never easy to discuss problems in a relationship, but it’s something that needs to be done. Even if you feel like your friend might not understand where you are coming from or that they might become angry and lash out at you, it’s important to communicate and try to talk about these issues, especially if they are recurring and taking a toll on your friendship. When you talk to your friend, be direct about your issues and make sure that they don’t redirect the conversation. 

It sounds like this friend is used to making people see things their way, so try and get them to see things from your point of view. If this is a friendship worth saving, they will listen and try to work on the problems that you are facing. If they don’t listen and try to avoid this serious talk, it might be time to start thinking about if they are really worth keeping in your life. Although it is really hard, sometimes the best thing to do is to take a step back from toxic relationships. 

You mentioned that they were degrading your other friends, and this is a sign that they might be jealous or that they feel a need to control the way other people view things. 

Frustrated Friend, I think that it is time to seriously reevaluate whether or not they are good to have in your life. Even if you don’t completely cut them out, it might be best to separate yourself from that person more so than you are now. 

I hope that you can work this out, but also don’t feel like you are in the wrong if you have to move in a more positive direction in your life. 

Sincerely, 

Vicki