Ask Tiffany: Celebrity worship, dorm dogs and iced coffee

Dear Tiffany,

I am an active followers of all things Kardashian — Twitter, Snapchat, mobile gaming and occasional merchandise purchases. Does this guilty pleasure need to carry such a harsh social stigma? Can a person indulge in celebrity worship and still feel like a decent person with integrity?

I know many intellectual, socially conscious people who also happen to enjoy some outwardly lowbrow reality TV. If spending your time musing about the Kardashians provides you joy or some kind of outlet for your stress, don’t deny yourself.

The term “celebrity worship,” however, does raise some red flags. While you sound self-aware, don’t fall into obsessive territory. You owe yourself better role models to obsess over.

 

Dear Tiffany,

I love dogs. I want a dog but I can’t have one because of my building. Help.

If you really feel passionate about loving on dogs, I highly recommend volunteering at an animal shelter. Westside German Shepherd Rescue is a no-kill shelter just minutes from USC, and they are always looking for volunteers.

If you move into a new place that allows pets in the future, I encourage you to think critically about the responsibilities of pet ownership, which often last more than a decade. Dogs, and other animals, thrive in loving, comfortable and familiar living situations. I hope that as a dog lover, you can practice patience and not adopt (please adopt!) until you are capable of providing the long-term type of love a dog deserves.  

 

Dear Tiffany,

How do you make a good cup of cold brew iced coffee?

You don’t. You mosey over to Ground Zero Performance Cafe and get yourself a big cup of the most affordable cold brew in South Central, which also happens to be organic, fair trade and sustainably sourced!

Tiffany Kuan is a senior majoring in business administration. Her blog advice column, Ask Tiffany, runs every Monday.