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Media Credit: Bethany Baker Harlan Cohen, advice columnist, questions Arielle Brandy, a freshman music business major, about her current relationship.

Media Credit: Bethany Baker Harlan Cohen, the "Help me, Harlan" columnist, asks audience member Tory Torma, a freshman pre-med major, what qualities he looks for in a girlfriend.

Media Credit: Bethany Baker Harlan Cohen, advice columnist, describes to students the top 15 types of college hookups, taken from his book, "The Naked Roomate.".

Harlan Cohen, the "Help me, Harlan" advice columnist, sang "My Roommate Stu," from his CD "Fortunate Accidents" to a room full of students Wednesday evening.

The song depicts a student's reaction to his college roommate who "lounges in the nude." The song ends on a happier note as Stu's sister and her friends, who also happen to be nudists, stop by for the weekend.

"Harlan is a great motivational speaker and gets his messages across in a fun way," said Michael Sales, a student affairs and higher education graduate student and assistant in the Student Affairs office.

Cohen talked about his first-year college experience at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.



For Cohen, the first year of college was not everything he thought it might be. After a string of upsetting events that included his roommate moving out and a breakup with his girlfriend, Cohen transferred to Indiana University. It was there that he realized something, he said.

"College is 90 percent amazing and 10 percent bullshit," he said.
The reality, Cohen said, is that anyone's first year won't be completely great.

"College should be about putting yourself in uncomfortable new situations," he said.

Cohen urged students to set realistic expectations for themselves. He also stressed "getting comfortable in your thong." He said this means students should accept themselves for who they are and embrace their flaws.

According to Cohen's philosophy the Universal Rejection Truth of Dating and Relationships, it is not possible for everyone to be loved by everyone else. Cohen urges people to give permission to other people to not like them. The biggest problem in the world is people who are stuck in rejection denial, he said.

Cohen's column targets people in their teens and twenties.

Cohen is also the author of "The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run into in College," the World's No. 1 going-to-college book.

Cohen collects and shares students' experiences. His book on college life was made up of thousands of interviews he had with students around the country.

He said he wants to hear people's thoughts, and even talked to people in the audience about topics ranging from roommates to relationships.

The audience was also given the opportunity to write down questions, which Cohen answered before closing with "The Syphilis Song," also from his CD.

Shay Hinton, a freshman business major, said she enjoyed Cohen's discussion on being "open and setting boundaries with roommates."

Students came for various reasons, some being readers of his column and others just looking for advice.

"It sounded like an interesting event to attend," said Brooke Phillips, a freshman nursing major.

( Alex Rodie is a freshman communication major. He can be reached at sascamed@isugw.indstate.edu.)

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