By Alisa Kivirian

There is no way. That’s it.

Just kidding! Or am I?…

Well, at one point you as volunteers, colleagues and friends will fight anyway, that is unavoidable. But what do you do when sitting on top of each other gets way too much? Buckle up, kids, I’m about to drop hot tips for the case when you are running on the edge of becoming the new Ted Bundy.

HOT TIP NUMBER 1: take time for yourself. Being together all the time is challenging and it is totally okay to be alone every now and then. Or not feeling like talking to anyone. Take yourself out on a date: go to the beach (thank god Constanta is on the seaside) all on your own and think through the reasons you are being annoyed with things and/or people, stop by a cozy place for a nice dinner (Nikos is where we got quite often) and just enjoy your own company. Being alone never hurt anyone! Even if you are traveling together, it is completely normal to go and do things on your own if you feel like it will be more therapeutic than hanging around with your friends putting on a fake smile all the time.

HOT TIP NUMBER 2: reflect. You don’t journal? Well, maybe your volunteering experience is the perfect time to start! Writing down your thoughts is quite helpful when you are going through the dark times. Reflect on everything you do and analyse your thought and feelings about the things which made you unhappy.

HOT TIP NUMBER 3: communicate. Oh, really, Sherlock? Communicate if you are having problems with someone? I can’t believe no one came up with this before! Ok, jokes aside. Talking through your problems with a cool head to the person who is a part of the conflict is the best thing to do, in my humble opinion. This way you can express your feelings and explain why you are feeling a certain way eliminating all the assumptions of the other. Of course, for some people (I don’t want to point fingers at anyone but it’s me) it’s hard to keep a cool head while explaining why are you dissatisfied. In a case like this it might be helpful to write things down and explain the problem and your point of view on a piece of paper.

HOT TIP NUMBER 4: meditate. Sure, let’s also put yoga in there. I mean, really. It might seem a bit weird for certain people but practicing meditation and watching your breath can help you to reduce your stress and negativity in a long run.

HOT TIP NUMBER 5: use your mentor. Last but not least (tbh, it is probably supposed to be first), if you are not able to overcome your murder desires, it might be the time to turn to your mentor for some help. After all, it’s their job to help you feel as comfortable as possible.

To conclude, there’s a way out of every situation. You just need to work on yourself, be patient and find your own tune of dealing with challenges.