Libby Hill

Dear Libby,

On the first day of school I made friends with a girl down the hall. We enjoyed the same things and got along well.

Now, it is three weeks later and she is so annoying! If I want a little peace and quiet, she’s there. If I want to hang out, but with other friends, she acts hurt.

I still think she’s nice, but I want to get away from her. What can I do? ?Annoyed

Dear Annoyed,

Well, to start I can tell you that violence is usually not the answer. That issue aside, I’d say that you are going to have to talk to her about the problem at hand, Annoyed. There is no way that your friend can read your mind, and even if there was, she would not want to admit to herself that at times, you find her incredibly annoying. So you have no choice but to address her about it.

There is absolutely no reason to go about this in a mean way, and actually, since deep down you really do like her, you probably want to be as tactful as possible. Tell her, Annoyed, that while you love hanging out with her, it is unfair to your other friends to hang out with her exclusively. And that sometime you need some time to yourself, because that is just the kind of person you are. That, or stress your need to study in a quiet, solitary environment.

No matter how you go about doing it, Annoyed, if she is really your friend, she will understand what you are trying to say. If she does not, well then you got rid of the irritating little bugger with relative ease. Good luck!

Dear Libby,

I met a guy at orientation, and, long story short, we had a fling. We lived close together, so we went on a few dates and had a really good time. I really thought the relationship was going somewhere.

But now that we are at college, he acts like I do not exist and has taken up with some other girl. How can I get him back? And if that is not possible, how do I get even for being strung along?

? Confused

Dear Confused,

I am sure I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but Confused, you have to talk to him. First off, I have to ask you this: Did he know exactly how you felt about him? Actually, did YOU know exactly how you felt about him? Again, it is broken record time, but honestly Confused, you cannot expect someone else to read your mind, especially if you do not know exactly where your mind stands on the issue in the first place.

However, it is not too late. You can still take the plunge and talk to him about your (would be, almost, kind of) relationship that the two of you (maybe, might have, sort of) had. I know that this is a frightening prospect, as hearing the truth can be a scary thing. But no matter what gets said in this exchange you will be able to get the most valuable thing of all out of it: CLOSURE. While this may not be what you would like out of this conversation, it is most likely what you will end up with.

Be brave, Confused, and if this absolutely necessary conversation does not end up the way you hoped it would, just chalk it up to experience and move on down the road. You sound like a great girl, all you need to do is realize that yourself.

Ask Libby Hill for advice at [email protected].