Dear Jodi,

I just got out of a relationship with, who I thought, was the love of my life. I am totally heartbroken by this and I don’t think that I can ever get over it. How can I move on without completely losing my mind?

-Lovelorn at Loyola

I think Carole King said it best with, “Breaking up is hard to do.” But what they really should’ve said was “Breaking up will make you want to pull your hair out, drink heavily, stop bathing, put ‘Chasing Cars’ on repeat on your iPod, stay up until 5 a.m. and sleep until 4 p.m., check your phone like it’s your job in case he/she calls, become a professional Facebook stalker to see when that relationship status will shift over to single and inevitably, breaking up will make you want to die.”

Give it to us straight, Carole: Breaking up sucks.

It is one of the worst things any single person can experience more than once. On college campuses, however, this awful experience seems to be a very regular occurrence. Relationships come and go in that short four-year time span, but break-ups go hand in hand with every relationship status change on Facebook.

I have always thought that college is a great place to meet your future spouse, because everyone’s single, everyone’s horny and everyone’s drunk. But 18-22 isn’t exactly the ideal age for a long-term commitment, so if you’re in college, there is probably a break-up or two right around the corner.

Break-ups are depressing and sad. They make you feel worthless because you’ve lost someone who has become a very big part of your life. Or it might’ve been purely physical and you just miss the sex, but whatever works. A person has just rejected you. They’re basically telling you that you’re not marriage material, and they see no future with you. You’re the two-month version of what he/she wants in a spouse. Feel like a winner yet?

Break-ups don’t have to be the painful, heartbreaking, eating ice cream by the scoopful experience they are supposed to be. I say Loyola starts a new trend: Make break-ups a way to remember that you’re awesome … and hott (yes, with two T’s). Persons of the opposite sex should want to be with you. You are a hott commodity.

Why feel worthless when you can feel fabulous? And I’m not talking to just the ladies. Guys, you can feel better about yourselves. Go out, get a number, talk to a girl who is totally out of your league. She might not say yes, but you talked to the hottest girl at the bar by the end of the night, didn’t you?

Same thing, ladies. Talk to the guy at the end of the bar who could be McDreamy’s twin brother. Go out and get a great “boob” top. No cleavage? Get a water bra – just watch what you bump into when you have a couple cocktails later. You don’t want to spring a leak.

I am a firm believer in that whole “everything happens for reason” hoopla. Take a break-up as a sign that this is your opportunity to maybe find someone who is a far better match for you. New Orleans is full of available singles. So get out there instead of sulking in the tub with a jug of wine and sappy music playing in the background.

It will be hard at first, but give yourself a week to cry, or if you’re a guy, pout, and go out on a date. If Jennifer Aniston, J.Lo and even crazy Tom Cruise can do it, why can’t you? Go out there and get some. But remember: Keep it classy, Loyola.

Have a relationship question for me? I’ll answer it. Write me at [email protected].