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Old Feb 06, 2015, 06:07 PM
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Frankbtl Frankbtl is offline
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Member Since: May 2013
Posts: 2,804
Hi einsam, I'm sorry you're feeling so isolated and unsupported
But I do have to say good on you for having reached out to your counselor and having tried reaching out to these two other women. The fact that you didn't get any responses back seriously doesn't have to be about you........when there's the real liklihood that it's down to these women personally and/or a poor choice on the counselor's part.
Maybe the women had a lot going on with their work, maybe they were reluctant to answer an e-mail for someone they didn't "know", maybe they didn't realise how important it was to you, maybe they just weren't really that "helpful/supportive" types.................Although you could try another e-mail, as another reminder (and to "stand out" to them!!)...............
And the counselor, well maybe they hadn't checked how fully these women were free to help at that particular time, or maybe they just made a wrong choice in women for you to contact. Counselors aren't going to be flawless, just the same as no-one is flawless, so nothing at all wrong with going back to her and telling her that her advise hasn't worked, her advise may very well not have worked not because of you, but because of the advise itself.
And she is there to help be supportive, so it's not about "putting stuff on her" and if she doesn't quite understand then give her a bit more of a push to understand, hey??
But if it comes to it and there are no other women in your field available........for the loneliness factor maybe you could try some women outside of your field........they may not "get" the field you're in but they may fill other gaps, and there may be similar "challenges" they face, whereas you could support each other??? Maybe casually chat to people on campus, at the library, where you're eating...........just to kick off something for starters.......???
And there have to be more people on campus like you, who struggle to make friends, who feel the same way as you........perhaps you could reach out to some of them.......to help them as much as they may be able to help you.
And alongside that, talk to your tutor (??) about the problems with your lab partner, hey?? Maybe they can give them more of a push or if needed find someone more "diligent/appropriate".
Anyway, just some thoughts...........

Alison