I get very anxious in crowds when I feel it would make a big scene to escape. I have felt it at the theatre, at my kids school concerts, at church. When there is a large group of people and everyone is quiet listening to someone talk I become very anxious. I get very hot, my heart beats so fast and I feel like I need to get out. I feel like I need to escape but I know leaving would cause a scene and make everyone look at me. This makes me more anxious that I cannot escape. Leaving in the middle of church, school concert etc would not be normal. I am usually OK in crowds if there is a lot going on, lots of people are talking, I could escape unnoticed etc. It's when the room is all quiet apart from one person talking that my anxiety peaks. When I have to stand in this situation, like in church, it is much worse as my legs shake. I often remain sitting when everyone stands up. I usually try to get around this by sitting near the back or near a door so I know there is an escape route. Sometimes this is not possible due to assigned seating etc. Sitting near the front of a large crowd is the worst for me. Has anybody experienced this and do you have any tips to help me cope. Thank you.

My (19M) friend (19M) texted me 3 months ago to tell me that he could no longer speak to me because he is in a committed relationship and he was starting to develop a crush on me. In order to prioritise his boyfriend, whom he loves very much, he had to cut contact with me, for a non-specific amount of time. In his words, it is “dangerous” for us to speak.
This all starts when we were 16- 3 years ago. Something important to know: this did not start platonically. We were two 16 year old boys who had similar interests and who could sustain one another intellectually, and thence began a romantic long-distance summer fling. He is a classical musician and actually composed me some pieces. After a while, it died out because of the distance. We remained friends after the fact, but I most certainly did not forget him. He told me at 16 that I was one of those people you’re told your whole life that you’ll meet. Those words have stuck with me.
For the next two years that followed, contact remained spotty. Any conversation we had revolved around music (mostly), philosophy, life, anything. Usually long conversations, but very infrequent.
Then August 2023 rolls around. I’m 18 and I’m about to begin uni on the other side of the country. In a new city….. in his city. Yes, I moved to his city. Not on purpose. I post my arrival on my Instagram story, and he replies that we must get coffee together sometime soon. Basically, I was head over heels. I had a crush on this guy. He’s a local, so he ended up picking a pizza restaurant. I arrive first and I’m waiting in front of the restaurant, facing the window. All of a sudden, I see his reflection in the window; a guy wearing a violin case like a backpack. I turn around and he crosses the street to come give me a hug. This was our first meeting in person.
We spoke a while in the restaurant. Spoiler: He has had a boyfriend since March at this point (I HAD NO CLUE). At one point in our pizza-filled conversation, he mentions his boyfriend. However, in our language, the word he used can mean either boyfriend or friend. I really didn’t think he was in a relationship, so my delusional ass interpreted it in the platonic sense. After the restaurant, we walked to his music school, where we found a room. I sat on a chair and he took out his violin. He asked me to name any composer and he would play a piece from said composer. I neglected to mention that he is extremely talented. One in a million. If it isn’t obvious, I thought this was a date. It was not a date; not for him at least.
After said encounter, I felt quite disappointed that I didn’t get any romantic vibes from him (duh, it was not a date. He literally mentioned his boyfriend lol). I complained to my old roommate for days about this. My roommate, on some intoxicated bender, texts this guy and tells him that he needs to let me know if he has feelings for me or not. I was furious. My roommate guiltily confessed this to me the following morning. He told my roommate that he is not single and that he is not at all interested in me. He does say, however, that “we would have been the perfect match”; something that he probably shouldn’t have said but it is not something that I will contest. What my roommate did was a gross violation of my boundaries, of course I’m upset. However, in a way, it almost needed to happen. A few days later, I reply to his story about some other restaurant, and he says that his bf/friend (the word is ambiguous in our language) recommended it to him. I ask him if he has a boyfriend and he clears it up then and there. It was after this interaction that my crush dissipated. Knowing that he wasn’t interested in me really helped with me moving onto other guys.
Over the following months, we speak every now and then. When we spoke, the conversations would not end. The kind of conversations where you know that you have to go to bed, so you wished the other person goodnight, yet there you are talking about fucking Ligeti 50 minutes later. Anyways, while I was supposed to working on a philosophy assignment, I told him that I USED to have a crush on him, but I was firm on the fact that I no longer did. I told him the “date” story as a funny anecdote. He had no clue that I ever liked him like that at any point. The conversation got a little awkward, but he told me that he really loves his boyfriend, but that he “does not forget”. He tells me that we would have been a perfect match. Funny.
A little while after, he invites me to one of his concerts at the museum. There, I meet his mother and grandparents. Also, his boyfriend. The concert was great, and the three of us chat for a while afterwards. Unfortunately, he has to leave, but he suggests that I tour the museum with his boyfriend, so his boyfriend and I tour the museum together. Interesting experience. Something important to know: I don’t have the best impression of his boyfriend. Their relationship is (was???) an open relationship and it felt like this guy really had to convince him to join his polyamory, based on what he told me in their conversations. Also, they were apparently on a break at one point earlier in the year because my friend’s mental/physical health was really bad, so to me it seems as though his boyfriend abandoned him in his time of need because the relationship “got hard”, so I already don’t have the best impression of him based on what my friend has told me. Anyways, I honestly thought that his bf was flirting with me??? (I guess he is allowed to because it’s an open relationship, but still…).
Fast forward the following month: we were supposed to see a concert together but something bad happened so he couldn’t attend. I end up buying him a CD which I had signed because this is a very famous pianist who just happened to visit our city. For like 3 months, we didn’t see each other, but I reminded him regularly that I had a specially-signed CD to give him. He has classes next to my apartment sometimes, but we can’t seem to get our schedules to fit…. until the end of February.
He has this class thing where you can invite people to watch you play and get critiqued, which he invited me to! After watching him play, I greet him outside the room and one of his colleagues. Let’s call her F. We all chat a little and I give him his disk. Literally such a mundane interaction.
BUT THEN THREE DAYS LATER, he texts me that he is very sorry, but that we have to cut contact. He has been dishonest toward himself and toward his boyfriend, because he has a crush on me. He doesn’t WANT to have a crush on me. And look, I get it. His relationship is important and he is putting the guy he loves first. You can’t control how you feel about people, but you CAN control what you do about it. So I get it. Wouldn’t I do the same? I told him to promise me that he wouldn’t forget about me completely. I screamed “what the actual fuck” multiple times because I didn’t know how to process this. This is definitely not an event I expected to have in 2024… The only links we have in common are now: we have each other’s phone numbers, we are Facebook friends, and I am friends with F on Facebook because she also happens to be in my programme at uni. But we have not spoken. Not a single word between us since February 24th. I respect his decision, so I will not speak to him.
This guy occupied my mind rent-free. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Frustrating because when he told me that he wasn’t interested back in August, that was enough to help me move on. And all of a sudden, my mind can’t let go of the fact that this guy has a crush on me. This guy, whom my type is kind of based on honestly. Middle of March rolls by, and I meet F (his colleague) again at an event hosted by our programme. We all got drunk, especially me 🤦🏻‍♂️. And of course, being drunk, you have a tendency to bring down your inhibitions. We’re on the bus and she asks me how I know the friend. I tell her it’s a long story, but that I can’t speak to him anymore. I say that “he’s soooo dramatic”. She asks me to explain further, but I tell her that I can’t.
The next day, I felt like an idiot!!! Wow. I almost told her what happened. I don’t need that spreading around his school. I saw a uni therapist at the beginning of April, which didn’t really help much. Every time I took the bus, I would check to see if he too was on the bus. Never was.
BUT THEN, I met someone new. We’ll call him T. T has been successful in getting my mind off of the friend. It’s quite recent, but we’re seeing each other and it’s moving along smoothly. Beginning of May, I barely think about the friend anymore. I have a new guy in my thoughts and I’m very happy about it. So T and I go to see a concert together. Guess who just had to be doing a pre-concert in the waiting hall. The violinist friend. T and I are walking up the stairs and all of a sudden the violinist and I made eye-contact and I basically just had a hot flash. I had not seen this guy since February… And I seriously had to make eye-contact with him while I’m on a date with T???
I feel like my progress is ruined. Ever since I saw him at the concert hall, he is on my mind again. I keep checking his Facebook. I can’t listen to my favourite music without thinking about him. But I refuse to give up the music that feeds my soul just because he likes the same stuff. I feel awful toward T, because I have another guy in my thoughts.
All I know is that this person is special. I have known this for years and he is not someone I could accept never having in my life again. He has never forsaken me. I have a deep desire to share my life with him and to be apart of his, and I am perfectly okay with it being platonic. I just don’t know how I’m supposed to live my life without it being a soap opera.
TL;DR: An old friend that I had a crush on, but no longer had a crush on once I found out that he was in a relationship and was not interested in me, ended up having a crush on me and has had to cut contact with me in order to not be dishonest toward his boyfriend. I can’t stop thinking about him. It’s driving me mad.

I ask off of work a lot and I feel so badddd T_T
I am a part time waitress at a restaurant. We aren’t short staffed, but my sucky schedule probably causes issues. I have to change it fairly often. I change it at the beginning of the semester, then revise it once I gauge how much time I actually need off to study. Then I change it again during big breaks (Summer and Winter break).
And even once I have an established schedule, I take off a lot. I’ve taken off about 45-50 days in vacations, travel, and exam study days (I usually put these in 1-2 months in advance). Then there are a good 10-15 times that I’ve had to call out sick / leave early, not including the possibility of calling out tomorrow because I might have bronchitis. EDIT: I forgot to include that I’ve been at this job for 9 months, and I’ve taken at LEAST 55 days off. T_T AND I called out last Saturday for a migraine, and NOW I’m having to possibly call out because of bronchitis.
It’s not like I can fucking help it. It’s just that I get sick often because I work with people, and I have a very busy life. I have chronic migraines, too, and IBS (which doesn’t help. My bad IBS days give me… bathroom issues… that are not allowed in a restaurant setting). I communicate as much as possible and try to call out with ample time for them to find replacements (EX: I will be leaving at 7:30 AM to go to urgent care to try and find out what I have right now. My shift is at 5:30 PM) And I’ve paid money to coworkers so they’ll take my shifts.
Idk what I need. Tips? Reassurance? Everytime I pick up the phone to call in, I feel so much stress and anxiety. I feel guilty. But my family tells me that it’s a part time job, and it’s not my priority right now in my life. That I should focus on my school and health. What do I do? Will I get fired? Ugh. I’m stressed.

A Pregnancy & Maternity Specialist plays a critical role in supporting expectant mothers through the various stages of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Their support encompasses medical, emotional, educational, and practical aspects, ensuring a holistic approach to maternal care.
Here are the key roles and responsibilities of a Pregnancy & Maternity Specialist:
1. Medical Care and Monitoring :
- Prenatal Care : Regular check-ups to monitor the health of the mother and the developing baby. This includes routine ultrasounds, blood tests, and screening for potential complications.
- Health Assessments : Continuous assessment of the mother’s health to manage any existing medical conditions and prevent pregnancy-related complications.
- Labor and Delivery Support : Providing medical assistance and guidance during labor and delivery, including pain management, monitoring fetal well-being, and facilitating safe childbirth.
2. Emotional and Psychological Support :
- Counseling : Offering emotional support and counseling to address concerns, fears, and anxieties related to pregnancy and childbirth.
- Postpartum Support : Providing support for postpartum depression and other emotional challenges that new mothers may face.
3. Education and Information :
- Prenatal Education : Educating expectant mothers about pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care. This includes information on nutrition, exercise, childbirth options, and breastfeeding.
- Birth Planning : Assisting in the creation of a birth plan that aligns with the mother’s preferences and medical needs.
4. Practical Assistance :
- Resource Provision : Providing resources and referrals to other professionals such as lactation consultants, pediatricians, and support groups.
- Home Visits : In some cases, specialists may offer home visits to provide personalized care and ensure the mother’s home environment is safe and supportive.
5. Advocacy and Empowerment :
- Empowerment : Encouraging and empowering women to make informed decisions about their prenatal care, birth process, and postpartum recovery.
- Advocacy : Acting as an advocate for the mother’s wishes and needs within the healthcare system, ensuring she receives respectful and individualized care.
6. Specialized Care for High-Risk Pregnancies :
- High-Risk Management**: Providing specialized care and monitoring for high-risk pregnancies, which may involve more frequent visits, additional testing, and collaboration with other healthcare specialists.
- Interventions : Coordinating necessary medical interventions and closely monitoring the health of both mother and baby in high-risk situations.
7. Support for Partners and Families :
- Family Education : Educating partners and family members about how they can support the expectant mother during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.
- Involvement : Involving partners and family members in prenatal visits, childbirth classes, and postpartum care to promote a supportive environment.
Overall, Pregnancy & Maternity Specialists are vital in providing comprehensive care and support to ensure the health and well-being of both the mother and baby. Their multidisciplinary approach helps navigate the complexities of pregnancy and childbirth, fostering a positive and empowering experience for expectant mothers.

Been a shut-in for 2-3 years after NS. Have poor mental health (I.e. Too anxious and afraid to work, even simple jobs) which got worse and worse despite undergoing therapy. Decided to try getting back on my feet and applied to Uni. I got admitted. During my course of study, completing an internship is mandatory and without it I cannot graduate. I thought that once I am in Uni, I would magically overcome my anxiety and can secure an internship as per normal.
Fast forward now, how wrong I was. Too afraid to secure internships. Upon looking at the Job descriptions I am already afraid. So afraid that I tried to take my own life. Was escorted to emergency ward and receive yet again more therapy + Medication. My Uni counselor is aware of my issue and he's trying to help me but to no avail because he can't relate to my condition, he doesn't know how bad it is.
It's not that I don't have a plan to try addressing this Internship requirement. I can't secure an internship for this year, but I have decided to reach out to IMH. They have a Job club which may help me in my internship search for a more understanding employer for next year. They haven't reply but I am confident of reaching a solution.
However, this is where the problem comes in. I have a close Uni friend who's in a similar predicament as me until just now. At the very last minute he managed to secure an internship. I broke down. The peer pressure got to me. I felt so insecure right now, like everyone except me is doing their internships right now while I am here worrying. I really don't know what to do. I thought of ending my life again and all. I am using my willpower to hang on now.
What should I do? I don't want to worry my parents any more, and I can't keep on reaching out to my friends like this because they have a life; they can't spend the whole day comforting me. I want to cry but i can't cry out. I am so afraid that I can't find an understanding employer to fulfill this internship requirement.
I don't know what to do. I am tired of worrying like this. Should I just drop out? Maybe find a simple job like parcel delivery? Idk. But it's not as if I can go for euthanasia. I don't know. I am stuck. I tried to be positive but now....
Honestly this anxiety and fear has been there since primary school. I am always the timid and bullied guy in class. I thought I could hang on but I broke down at some point. I reached my threshold. I really tried. I really tried.

My (19M) friend (19M) texted me 3 months ago to tell me that he could no longer speak to me because he is in a committed relationship and he was starting to develop a crush on me. In order to prioritise his boyfriend, whom he loves very much, he had to cut contact with me, for a non-specific amount of time. In his words, it is “dangerous” for us to speak.
This all starts when we were 16- 3 years ago. Something important to know: this did not start platonically. We were two 16 year old boys who had similar interests and who could sustain one another intellectually, and thence began a romantic long-distance summer fling. He is a classical musician and actually composed me some pieces. After a while, it died out because of the distance. We remained friends after the fact, but I most certainly did not forget him. He told me at 16 that I was one of those people you’re told your whole life that you’ll meet. Those words have stuck with me.
For the next two years that followed, contact remained spotty. Any conversation we had revolved around music (mostly), philosophy, life, anything. Usually long conversations, but very infrequent.
Then August 2023 rolls around. I’m 18 and I’m about to begin uni on the other side of the country. In a new city….. in his city. Yes, I moved to his city. Not on purpose. I post my arrival on my Instagram story, and he replies that we must get coffee together sometime soon. Basically, I was head over heels. I had a crush on this guy. He’s a local, so he ended up picking a pizza restaurant. I arrive first and I’m waiting in front of the restaurant, facing the window. All of a sudden, I see his reflection in the window; a guy wearing a violin case like a backpack. I turn around and he crosses the street to come give me a hug. This was our first meeting in person.
We spoke a while in the restaurant. Spoiler: He has had a boyfriend since March at this point (I HAD NO CLUE). At one point in our pizza-filled conversation, he mentions his boyfriend. However, in our language, the word he used can mean either boyfriend or friend. I really didn’t think he was in a relationship, so my delusional ass interpreted it in the platonic sense. After the restaurant, we walked to his music school, where we found a room. I sat on a chair and he took out his violin. He asked me to name any composer and he would play a piece from said composer. I neglected to mention that he is extremely talented. One in a million. If it isn’t obvious, I thought this was a date. It was not a date; not for him at least.
After said encounter, I felt quite disappointed that I didn’t get any romantic vibes from him (duh, it was not a date. He literally mentioned his boyfriend lol). I complained to my old roommate for days about this. My roommate, on some intoxicated bender, texts this guy and tells him that he needs to let me know if he has feelings for me or not. I was furious. My roommate guiltily confessed this to me the following morning. He told my roommate that he is not single and that he is not at all interested in me. He does say, however, that “we would have been the perfect match”; something that he probably shouldn’t have said but it is not something that I will contest. What my roommate did was a gross violation of my boundaries, of course I’m upset. However, in a way, it almost needed to happen. A few days later, I reply to his story about some other restaurant, and he says that his bf/friend (the word is ambiguous in our language) recommended it to him. I ask him if he has a boyfriend and he clears it up then and there. It was after this interaction that my crush dissipated. Knowing that he wasn’t interested in me really helped with me moving onto other guys.
Over the following months, we speak every now and then. When we spoke, the conversations would not end. The kind of conversations where you know that you have to go to bed, so you wished the other person goodnight, yet there you are talking about fucking Ligeti 50 minutes later. Anyways, while I was supposed to working on a philosophy assignment, I told him that I USED to have a crush on him, but I was firm on the fact that I no longer did. I told him the “date” story as a funny anecdote. He had no clue that I ever liked him like that at any point. The conversation got a little awkward, but he told me that he really loves his boyfriend, but that he “does not forget”. He tells me that we would have been a perfect match. Funny.
A little while after, he invites me to one of his concerts at the museum. There, I meet his mother and grandparents. Also, his boyfriend. The concert was great, and the three of us chat for a while afterwards. Unfortunately, he has to leave, but he suggests that I tour the museum with his boyfriend, so his boyfriend and I tour the museum together. Interesting experience. Something important to know: I don’t have the best impression of his boyfriend. Their relationship is (was???) an open relationship and it felt like this guy really had to convince him to join his polyamory, based on what he told me in their conversations. Also, they were apparently on a break at one point earlier in the year because my friend’s mental/physical health was really bad, so to me it seems as though his boyfriend abandoned him in his time of need because the relationship “got hard”, so I already don’t have the best impression of him based on what my friend has told me. Anyways, I honestly thought that his bf was flirting with me??? (I guess he is allowed to because it’s an open relationship, but still…).
Fast forward the following month: we were supposed to see a concert together but something bad happened so he couldn’t attend. I end up buying him a CD which I had signed because this is a very famous pianist who just happened to visit our city. For like 3 months, we didn’t see each other, but I reminded him regularly that I had a specially-signed CD to give him. He has classes next to my apartment sometimes, but we can’t seem to get our schedules to fit…. until the end of February.
He has this class thing where you can invite people to watch you play and get critiqued, which he invited me to! After watching him play, I greet him outside the room and one of his colleagues. Let’s call her F. We all chat a little and I give him his disk. Literally such a mundane interaction.
BUT THEN THREE DAYS LATER, he texts me that he is very sorry, but that we have to cut contact. He has been dishonest toward himself and toward his boyfriend, because he has a crush on me. He doesn’t WANT to have a crush on me. And look, I get it. His relationship is important and he is putting the guy he loves first. You can’t control how you feel about people, but you CAN control what you do about it. So I get it. Wouldn’t I do the same? I told him to promise me that he wouldn’t forget about me completely. I screamed “what the actual fuck” multiple times because I didn’t know how to process this. This is definitely not an event I expected to have in 2024… The only links we have in common are now: we have each other’s phone numbers, we are Facebook friends, and I am friends with F on Facebook because she also happens to be in my programme at uni. But we have not spoken. Not a single word between us since February 24th. I respect his decision, so I will not speak to him.
This guy occupied my mind rent-free. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Frustrating because when he told me that he wasn’t interested back in August, that was enough to help me move on. And all of a sudden, my mind can’t let go of the fact that this guy has a crush on me. This guy, whom my type is kind of based on honestly. Middle of March rolls by, and I meet F (his colleague) again at an event hosted by our programme. We all got drunk, especially me 🤦🏻‍♂️. And of course, being drunk, you have a tendency to bring down your inhibitions. We’re on the bus and she asks me how I know the friend. I tell her it’s a long story, but that I can’t speak to him anymore. I say that “he’s soooo dramatic”. She asks me to explain further, but I tell her that I can’t.
The next day, I felt like an idiot!!! Wow. I almost told her what happened. I don’t need that spreading around his school. I saw a uni therapist at the beginning of April, which didn’t really help much. Every time I took the bus, I would check to see if he too was on the bus. Never was.
BUT THEN, I met someone new. We’ll call him T. T has been successful in getting my mind off of the friend. It’s quite recent, but we’re seeing each other and it’s moving along smoothly. Beginning of May, I barely think about the friend anymore. I have a new guy in my thoughts and I’m very happy about it. So T and I go to see a concert together. Guess who just had to be doing a pre-concert in the waiting hall. The violinist friend. T and I are walking up the stairs and all of a sudden the violinist and I made eye-contact and I basically just had a hot flash. I had not seen this guy since February… And I seriously had to make eye-contact with him while I’m on a date with T???
I feel like my progress is ruined. Ever since I saw him at the concert hall, he is on my mind again. I keep checking his Facebook. I can’t listen to my favourite music without thinking about him. But I refuse to give up the music that feeds my soul just because he likes the same stuff. I feel awful toward T, because I have another guy in my thoughts.
All I know is that this person is special. I have known this for years and he is not someone I could accept never having in my life again. He has never forsaken me. I have a deep desire to share my life with him and to be apart of his, and I am perfectly okay with it being platonic. I just don’t know how I’m supposed to live my life without it being a soap opera.

We have this post on weekly basis. It could be this is actually a daily post.
I feel you, I have met even Londoners (born and bred here) complaining that after Uni their friend’s circle got weird and they also struggle to meet people.
I have also seen posts offering resources (like /LondonSocialClub).
Here is a different perspective on what has worked for me as an immigrant (with a very visible ethnicity) living here for 5+ years, that somehow has overcame the loneliness feeling.
To get in touch with any city, but specifically London, you need to understand its demography and its map. London is cleverly designed and divided on Boroughs. Each Borough has its very unique vibe and resources.
Depending on what type of building you live in, you will also have a “State” or the usual neighbours on left/right/backyard sides of your place. This may seem a very silly comment but you should start with the basics.
Start with the basics.
Do you know your neighbours? Not by name, but have you said hi? Do you know is there is an old lady or a disabled individual that may benefit from your help? Perhaps a single mum?
Do you know who administers your state? Where is your council’s town hall? Have you checked if they have activities?
Something very unique about London (my opinion of course) is how each Borough / Building is a micro cosmos itself and if you do not make efforts to understand it, you are out.
My very first exercise to improve this was opening Google Maps and literally walking 10 mins around my block and checking each specific business, even if I would never purchase from them.
Then, if you like coffee - just as an example - go support your local shop. Your local pub. Your local grocery shop. Yes you can grab Starbucks or Tescos too, but that corner shop around your block? Go there. Start a chat. They will recognise your face at some point and ask questions, where are you from? why are you in London?
The quick chats with your local shop owners will add well-being to your mental health, I swear.
This - dear /London, is how you start to feel in connection of your little community and then - to make friends. To feel like you belong somewhere.
Other key places to meet your local community.
1) Churches - London opened arms to many faiths, go reconnect with it even if you stopped going for years, they will always be happy to receive you back
2) Public libraries - they have reliable Wifi, books, DVDs and sometimes local events, check for book clubs.
3) Town Halls and local Museums - usually Boroughs have activities for all ages and some old buildings restored as museums with workshops / exhibits. Sign up for their newsletters.
4) Volunteer work - incredible way to meet people and helping.
5) Pubs with shows and quiz nights. I swear you can go there and have 1 pint only (pro tip, order Lucky Saint if you don’t like alcohol) and stay there for hours. Don’t go to random pubs. Search the ones that offer live shows or quizzes about things you like. Example- if you like drag queens, go to a drag queen quiz night. Many groups will be delighted to make space for an additional player.
6) This requires budget but - memberships of any sort. Gym, museums, Barbican, social clubs. If you go frequently to a place, it is the same logic over and over, people recognise you or of you recognise someone, saying “hello” is 100% socially acceptable.
All of the advice above requires effort. Of course. But how would you expect to fit in without any efforts?!
Adulthood is tricky because now you cannot rely on school to make friends and suddenly the “work culture” (that was always dodgy) got worse than ever after the pandemic.
London has so much to offer if you are keen on understanding its dynamics. There is no recipe for success here but hope the advice above helps someone!

I am a part time worker at a restaurant. My schedule sucks, I admit. I have to change it fairly often. I change it at the beginning of the semester, then revise it once I gauge how much time I actually need off to study. Then I change it again during big breaks (Summer and Winter break).
And even once I have an established schedule, I take off a lot. I’ve taken off about 45-50 days in vacations, travel, and exam study days (I usually put these in 1-2 months in advance). Then there are a good 10-15 times that I’ve had to call out sick / leave early, not including the possibility of calling out tomorrow because I might have bronchitis. EDIT: I forgot to include that I’ve been at this job for 9 months, and I’ve taken at LEAST 55 days off. T_T
It’s not like I can fucking help it. It’s just that I get sick often because I work with people, and I have a very busy life. I have chronic migraines, too, and IBS (which doesn’t help. My bad IBS days give me… bathroom issues… that are not allowed in a restaurant setting). I communicate as much as possible and try to call out with ample time for them to find replacements (EX: I will be leaving at 7:30 AM to go to urgent care to try and find out what I have right now. My shift is at 5:30 PM) And I’ve paid money to coworkers so they’ll take my shifts.
Idk what I need. Tips? Reassurance? Everytime I pick up the phone to call in, I feel so much stress and anxiety. I feel guilty. But my family tells me that it’s a part time job, and it’s not my priority right now in my life. That I should focus on my school and health. What do I do? Will I get fired? Ugh. I’m stressed.

We’ve been married for 3 years and together for 7. When I met my husband we did long distant for about 4 months before moving in together, during that four months we talked from the time I would wake up to the time I went to bed. Once my husband moved in things started to change. As expected though so I just blew it off and assumed it to be “normal”.
This is my take on the what happen the next 3 years: My husband had never lived away from home, at 27 he moved out and was hit with a whole new life of responsibilities. (Bills, household chores, having someone else to look out for) this huge change in his life I THINK scared him. He became way more anxious, and it was very quickly noticed there was a lack of financial responsibility. Which then changed our relationship a little. When we were long distance he was like a literal dream. Caring, supportive, loving (constantly providing validation- my love language) but it seemed now those things took the back burner. I come from a less than middle class family. Divorced parents, have step/half siblings, spent 6 years of my life with someone abusive. So as you can imagine even with this change I was still all in and “happy”. I was able to go to school and get a degree. Which landed me a job and helped me make connections that today are still paying for themselves. I got my husband a side gig to make more money and it took off. We were able to actually live, not just pay bills and “survive”. It didn’t last long, because it seems like my husband lost motivation. He has always been the top earner supporting most of the household. So with this side gig taking off he was getting burnt out spending his 8-5 working a full time job and then coming home and working his side gig from 6- all hours of the night. It quickly became a lot. So a year after we bought a house he took his side gig full time and quit his “real job”. Looking back this was a huge mistake. But live and learn. Once he became “his own boss” (quotes because one of my connections- hired him as a contractor so yes he is his own boss/business but he still gets paid from someone else) it’s like things just got worse instead of better. Motivation wise. It was like he was constantly working but there was not a lot of finished product to justify the HOURS AND DAYS spent “working”. The expectation was to take on more clients and make more money. That didn’t happen. Our first year in the house he was doing both jobs and we were LIVINNN. I was feeling my best. I felt secure, we weren’t living paycheck to paycheck. But once he went full time on the side gig we took a 40k dollar pay cut. We quickly realized sustainability was LOW. During this time we’ve been trying to start a family and that’s a whole topic for another post but long story short we need to do IVF. Throughout the first year of him being his own boss I realized a few things. This man has ZERO accountability. ZERO motivation. And it’s driving me nuts to put it short. I am constantly guiding him, telling him what he should be doing, prioritizing, etc. We started to become behind on bills, so I talked to him about selling the house, a home we had only been in a year and change. It was HARD. But I watched my parents struggle and I just couldn’t do it myself. This also created a set back for my husband. He felt like a failure, and it did the opposite of what I thought it would. Instead of motivating him to work harder it did the opposite. I did do side jobs to help bring in extra cash. And forgive me - but I just felt like it was his responsibility to go back to a 8-5 job to help get us back on track but he refused. Refused to do more than what he was so that left us in a situation. I work in the medical field so my pays not terrible but the hours and work were long and hard. So working side jobs wasn’t easy for me. It was exhausting. I thought my husband would see this, and for lack of better words step up to the ffffing plate and be a man. But I was wrong. I’m losing love for him. We’ve been married 3 years and the last two years have been hell. Seems like as each day, month, year that passes I continue to fall out of love. There’s obviously so much more to this story, nothing really positive though.
I know I’m not the person he first met anymore and I want to make it clear I wasn’t expecting him to stay the same. BUT I was expecting to grow and build together and get even better instead we’re going in the opposite direction.
We did end up selling the house, we’ve literally given up so much, and still decisions fell on me, and choices were made by me.
Our journey to having a family is on halt.
Do I cut my losses and walk away?
Also- yes he is on medications for anxiety/ADHD. Yes he sees a therapist.

So yesterday I was showing my mom a recent pic I was sent of my old friend from middle school since we haven't seen her in years (she moved). My mom took a good look at the pic, looked at me and gave the dirtiest stank face lmao. I said "what is it?" she said "see! do you see a single dot on her face?!" (referencing the awful acne/hyperpigmentation I've been dealing with lately) and some other things. I joked about it in the moment but now here I am crying like a b' because I'm tired of having 100+ insecurities and being jealous of everyone else. It was already upsetting when a few months ago she pulled a Yolanda Hadid on me because I wanted to eat the dippin dots my skinnier sisters got for us by basically calling me fat and throwing them in the trash.

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Hello everyone, just got accepted to KIT Carl Benz School Mechanical Engineering International program. As I understood they offered me an indirect admission, so I have to attend PreSemster.

1. Is there is a way to avoid preSemester? Cuz I don’t wanna spend over 5k euros for that + I got invited couple days ago, so I have to apply for visa which takes 3weeks to 3 month. Open a blocked account with 11,208 euros on it. (I kinnda accepted the fact that I cant avoid it, but still, if some1 knows something)
2. I am confused on enrollment application. They ask me for a health insurance, “Please fill in whether you are legally insured or exempt. In the case of applicants with legally health insurance, it is mandatory to provide their health insurance number. Please do not enter a health insurance number if you have an exemption.” Is it the same insurance I apply for a visa? Or something else? I also received this in my letter of admission “Present this letter of admission to a German public health insurance company and apply for "Meldegrund 10" for enrollment. The health insurance company will send us the legallcy required confirmation directly in electronic form. Persons with a private health insurance status should contact any public health insurance company to be exempted from compulsory insurance. The notification will be sent directly to KIT” Pls help, I am so confused
3. What would you generally say about accommodation? I have heard that it is very hard to get one, so you should apply as soon as possible. I am probably going to apply for a HaDiKo student residence, and hope to get admitted. Is there any tips or reccomendations?

Hi,
I'm asking for advice on quite a complex situation with no legal knowledge or experience. Any help is greatly appreciated.
I'm a neutral party and stuck in the middle (31f). My sister (I'll refer to as Jan, 43f), and our father (Tim 70m) have a 'turbulent' relationship.
For context, Tim is terminally ill with months to live.
4 years ago, in 2020, Jan and her partner at the time with 2 children had a messy separation. There was an allegation of assault which resulted in dropped charges. During this investigation, Tim wrote a witness statement with the partner's solicitor which effectively destroyed Jan's character and behaviour, and protecting the partner. This statement was not used in this case.
Fast forward to 2022, Jan and the ex-partner went to family court after a complaint regarding Jan's parenting. There were numerous allegations of a serious nature. The statement that was written in 2020 appeared in Family court and was used heavily by the defence. As far as I'm aware, the family court is now concluded with custody decided (Jan will be weekends only after supervised contact etc).
Jan is incredibly hurt by the statement written by Tim. She sees this statement as a 'legal bomb' and it will always be used against her regarding the children. Jan wishes Tim to rescind this statement and is urging me (as she cannot directly be involved with facilitating) to make contact with the opposing solicitor to rescind. Jan believes that this statement hugely impacted the outcome of the case.
Tim is extremely angry that Jan's legal team did not challenge this statement. Tim believes that Jan's legal team should have been the party to prove/disprove this evidence.
I have spoken to Tim at length, he does believe Jan's character has changed over the last 4 years but does somewhat stand by what he said in the initial statement. I am aware that Jan is confronting Tim regularly about this statement, but I'm unable to prove/disprove intimidation.
Due to Tim's health, he is unable to leave the house for pro-longed periods of time.
I'm just looking for an overview of this situation from a legal standpoint, so I can support all parties as much as I can within suitable boundaries. I have not focused on the children in this case as Jan is happy with the case outcome (weekends only) and her only focus is this statement.
Thank you for reading.

Hello everyone, just got accepted to KIT Carl Benz School Mechanical Engineering International program. As I understood they offered me an indirect admission, so I have to attend PreSemster. 1) Is there is a way to avoid preSemester? Cuz I don’t wanna spend over 5k euros for that + I got invited couple days ago, so I have to apply for visa which takes 3weeks to 3 month. Open a blocked account with 11,208 euros on it. (I kinnda accepted the fact that I cant avoid it, but still, if some1 knows something)
2) I am confused on enrollment application. They ask me for a health insurance, “Please fill in whether you are legally insured or exempt. In the case of applicants with legally health insurance, it is mandatory to provide their health insurance number. Please do not enter a health insurance number if you have an exemption.” Is it the same insurance I apply for a visa? Or something else? I also received this in my letter of admission “Present this letter of admission to a German public health insurance company and apply for "Meldegrund 10" for enrollment. The health insurance company will send us the legallcy required confirmation directly in electronic form. Persons with a private health insurance status should contact any public health insurance company to be exempted from compulsory insurance. The notification will be sent directly to KIT” Pls help, I am so confused
3) What would you generally say about accommodation? I have heard that it is very hard to get one, so you should apply as soon as possible. I am probably going to apply for a HaDiKo student residence, and hope to get admitted. Is there any tips or reccomendations?

This is to be sure of course not a critique of being a leftist in principle, since leftism can mean a vast array of different concepts depending on the part of the world where it is applied. And coherent nations are naturally going to have a left wing and a right wing.
That said, modern leftism in theory could be a needed movement to advocate for workers, students, immigrants, GBLTQ and others and work for practical changes in workers' rights and wages, affordable education, health care, environmentalism, civil liberties and so on. American leftism often at best pays lip service to this platform since constructive solutions to social problems, as opposed to nihilism and hatred for traditions of any type, are simply not a priority.
This refers to the kind of leftists in the vein of Breadtubers, Chapo Trap House, Vice, Vox, Majority Report, activists such as Thunberg, journalism in general, inorganically formed college "protests" and so on. Demanding solutions instead of providing them. Attacking anything from individualism to nuclear families to liberal democracy.
In the States, though, in practice it has become overrun with narcissistic poseurs, often from massively privileged backgrounds i.e. attending 30 k or higher year pvt schools as kids, who are approaching leftism from a nihilist view of wanting to destroy the system without thinking of what would come after or how life would function under their utopia. And the positions they are in frequently means they'd suffer virtually no consequences if they got the utopia they're after. They often come from the same kind of privilege as, say, Bezos or Musk and, I suspect, have internal anguish over the fact that Bezos/Musk have done authentically useful actions with their privilege and they've promoted agitation and not much else.
This hatred of genuine productivity leads to authentic misogyny - ironic since these movements tar just about anyone speaking to men and not echoing their exact sentiments as misogynist - and misandry and hatred of any sort of group or community that manages to build success from the ground up. Tom Sowell, controversial as he may be, wasn't wrong when in NYC he gave a one word answer to what Jews can do to fight antisemitism, particularly among these kinds of movements: fail. The tantrums they threw over Mr Beast's public charity work say it all, really,
So the issue at hand is what can be done to create a productive, industrious and constructive, as opposed to nihilist, reactionary and focused solely on institutions it wants to tear down.

This is to be sure of course not a critique of being a leftist in principle, since leftism can mean a vast array of different concepts depending on the part of the world where it is applied. And coherent nations are naturally going to have a left wing and a right wing.
That said, modern leftism in theory could be a needed movement to advocate for workers, students, immigrants, GBLTQ and others and work for practical changes in workers' rights and wages, affordable education, health care, environmentalism, civil liberties and so on. American leftism often at best pays lip service to this platform since constructive solutions to social problems, as opposed to nihilism and hatred for traditions of any type, are simply not a priority.
This refers to the kind of leftists in the vein of Breadtubers, Chapo Trap House, Vice, Vox, Majority Report, activists such as Thunberg, journalism in general, inorganically formed college "protests" and so on. Demanding solutions instead of providing them. Attacking anything from individualism to nuclear families to liberal democracy.
In the States, though, in practice it has become overrun with narcissistic poseurs, often from massively privileged backgrounds i.e. attending 30 k or higher year pvt schools as kids, who are approaching leftism from a nihilist view of wanting to destroy the system without thinking of what would come after or how life would function under their utopia. And the positions they are in frequently means they'd suffer virtually no consequences if they got the utopia they're after. They often come from the same kind of privilege as, say, Bezos or Musk and, I suspect, have internal anguish over the fact that Bezos/Musk have done authentically useful actions with their privilege and they've promoted agitation and not much else.
This hatred of genuine productivity leads to authentic misogyny - ironic since these movements tar just about anyone speaking to men and not echoing their exact sentiments as misogynist - and misandry and hatred of any sort of group or community that manages to build success from the ground up. Tom Sowell, controversial as he may be, wasn't wrong when in NYC he gave a one word answer to what Jews can do to fight antisemitism, particularly among these kinds of movements: fail. The tantrums they threw over Mr Beast's public charity work say it all, really,
So the issue at hand is what can be done to create a productive, industrious and constructive, as opposed to nihilist, reactionary and focused solely on institutions it wants to tear down.

Hi everyone,
So I am kind of having a crisis about this whole applying to medical school thing. I'm a senior in college right now, about to graduate (on quarter system lol that's why it's so late). I have a 3.72 cGPA/3.61 sGPA and was lowkey struggling throughout my second year of college with some mental health issues and got a few C's and B's, but I brought my grades up to pretty much straight A's by the end of it. I did a select few things I was really passionate about in college, but unfortunately since I had to give it my all to bring my grades up and keep up those activities, I couldn't get a lot of clinical hours in. On top of that, I haven't been doing too hot with my MCAT studying so far and definitely need more time to study for it, definitely after graduating. I know I can talk at length about my involvements and everything in applications and interviews because they've been so impactful for me, but I personally do not feel confident in my clinical hours and mid mcat fl scores so far so I wanted to take two gap years to get all of that in order before applying next cycle. But, there are quite a few SMP programs that are still taking apps and I'm just wondering if that is worth going towards instead because some of them guarantee interviews/admissions after completion of their program. So, if that ends up working out, it would leave me with one gap year instead of two, given I kill it on my MCAT. It is also very financially hefty though... so I'm extremely conflicted. I feel pressure from people around me to get this all figured out as soon as possible, but personally, I feel more comfortable taking things one step at a time. I was just wondering if anyone has advice on any of this, especially as I'm about to graduate and am just feeling more and more lost about what to do as time passes. Thanks :)

Hi everyone, I'm a 22F, and I need some advice on a situation with my best friend, 19F.

We've been friends since middle school and have always been there for each other. Recently, my friend was evicted from her apartment because she couldn't pay rent. She lost her job a few months ago and has been struggling to find a new one. She's been couch-surfing at different friends' places, and now she's asked if she can move in with me temporarily.
I live in a small one-bedroom apartment that I pay for with a part-time job and some help from my parents. It's not a lot, but it's my space, and I value my privacy. Here are the reasons I'm hesitant to let her move in:

1. Space: My apartment is really small. There's barely enough room for me, let alone another person. I don't have a couch or an extra bed, so she'd have to sleep on the floor or in my bed, which makes me uncomfortable.
2. Financial Stability: I'm already on a tight budget. Adding another person to the household would increase my expenses (utilities, food, etc.), and I don't think I can afford it without jeopardizing my own financial stability.
3. Boundaries: I've always been someone who needs personal space to recharge. Living with someone else, especially in such close quarters, would be really draining for me.
4. Past Experiences: We lived together briefly in the past, and it didn't go well. She didn't clean up after herself, and we had arguments about responsibilities. I'm worried that these issues would resurface and strain our friendship even more.

When I explained my concerns to her, she got really upset. She accused me of not being a true friend and said that if the roles were reversed, she would let me stay with her without hesitation. She feels like I'm abandoning her in her time of need.
Our mutual friends are divided. Some think I'm being reasonable and that I shouldn't jeopardize my own well-being. Others think I should help her out because that's what friends do.
I'm really torn. I don't want to lose my best friend, but I also need to take care of myself. So, AITA for not letting my friend move in with me after she was evicted?

Some background: He's (21M) my (21F) coworker. We've been working together since June of last year but didn't really start talking to each other until September. We were hitting it off during the fall but didn't get the chance to work together as much during the spring due to scheduling changes. I definitely liked him first. I'm honestly not sure what I did to get him to like me back; I'm not particularly good at flirting at all. I guess I just annoyed him enough that I eventually started to grow on him. He's always asking me how I'm doing and how school's going. He goes out of his way to start a conversation with me. We have our little inside jokes; he's always teasing me about how aggressive I am. I've caught him looking at me several times.
Anyway, now that the school year is over, he's going to be doing an internship in another state for the next three months. I, on the other hand, am working on finding a new job so that I can move out. Suffice it to say, I'll probably be gone by the time he comes back to work in the fall. So, I decided to message him via our work communication app and ask for his contact information. I would have asked him in person, but our workplace only releases the schedule week-by-week, and it's not always consistent each week, so I didn't know that our last shift together (on May 5) would be our last 😔. This is a part-time job comprised mostly of high school and college students, so it's not like dating a coworker would risk my career or anything, and like I said, I'm planning on quitting anyway. What I said was this: "Hey, do you have Instagram or Snapchat or a phone number or something? Since I probably won't be working here by the time you come back in the fall. Idk just in case we never see each other again 😅".
I'm so scared. I was literally trembling as I sent the message. That was about six and a half hours ago; it's nearly 4 am now, so he's definitely not responding until morning. Was I too forward? Guys like it when girls make the first move, don't they? Did I make the right decision? I mean the worst he can say is no, right? Or, I guess, leave me on read, in this case. I'm worried I might be bothering him during finals week, although I think nearly everyone's finals are over at this point. I know he's a super busy guy; if he doesn't get back to me right away, I understand. I just couldn't hold back any longer; I was worried he'd stop looking at our work app over the summer and I'd lose my chance forever.
I'm also worried that he thinks I lost interest in him. I feel like I was bolder when talking to him during the fall, but these past few months I've been kind of shy around him since we hardly see each other anymore. Sometimes my mind just goes blank around him. I'm able to socialize with my other coworkers really easily because I'm not attracted to any of them, but when it's just us one-on-one my brain is just like "Oh my god, cute guy!" and turns to mush and I forget how to speak. Most of the time he's the one initiating the conversations and I feel bad. But I don't know, maybe I'm just overthinking things.
Lastly, I'm worried he might think less of me now that I've dropped out of college. I told him during our last shift together that I had dropped out about a month ago, and the way he reacted seemed a bit judgmental. I don't think he meant to be judgmental, though; I think he just had no idea what to say. Or maybe I'm just hypersensitive to criticism, I don't know. I didn't want to go into the personal reasons (mental health and family stuff) behind why I decided to drop out (although I think he can kind of tell something's up), so I'm worried he just thinks I'm lazy and a quitter. It doesn't help that I tend to goof off and socialize a lot during work; not to the point where I'm not doing my job, but enough that it's clear I'm definitely not the hardest worker there. He, on the other hand, is super conscientious about his work; he has a great work ethic, which I admire. I think we just view work in different ways. I'm never going to slack off so much that I'm hurting my coworkers, but I'm also not going to put in maximum effort for a corporation that doesn't even pay me a living wage. I'm just worried that he sees the way I act at work and thinks of me as this ditzy dumbass when I'm so much more than that.
I've never actually been in a relationship, but I have had quite a few crushes, and I can say without a doubt he's the biggest crush I've ever had. I know everyone views their crush through rose-colored glasses, and while I know he's not perfect, this man is seriously a walking green flag. He's so smart, handsome, and funny. He's the sweetest guy; I don't think he has a mean bone in his body. He's always trying to cheer me up whenever I'm down. He's effortlessly kind to everyone and goes out of his way to help people. Did I mention we work at a movie theater? Well, during the worst shift of my life, two weeks after Barbenheimer (fun for audiences, but absolute madness for movie theater employees), I was stuck working the concessions stand completely alone on a Saturday night (usually we would have three to four employees on such a busy night). It was chaos; literally a nonstop line for at least an hour and a half, with absolutely no help from my managers (until I had a mini mental breakdown later that night, but I digress). Anyway, my crush was literally the only one who helped me prior to my mini mental breakdown. He was working as an usher that night (one of the people who cleans the theaters after each movie) and stayed ten minutes past the end of his shift to help me make popcorn and restock the concessions stand. He didn't have to do that. Our managers worked us like dogs that summer; most people would have been out of there the moment their shift ended. But not him. This was before we had even started talking, definitely before he started reciprocating feelings. There was no ulterior motive here. He just saw a coworker struggling and decided to go out of his way to help, with no benefit to himself. Because that's just the type of person he is. And that might seem like a small thing to you guys, but I feel like genuine kindness is so rare these days. I feel it's such a dog-eat-dog world out there; seems like we're all becoming more and more individualistic, and that everyone is only looking out for themselves. I don't know, I just hear horror stories about shitty guys all the time, and he just seems different.
I'm just terrified of the response (or lack thereof) I'm going to wake up to in the morning. Because even if he does give me his number, what then? There's been this unspoken chemistry and connection between us for months now. One of us has to confess our feelings, right? Will it be me? Will it be him? Will either of us have the guts to do it? It's our last chance. It's now or never. And I feel like maybe I'm not in the best place in my life for a relationship... but are any of us ever truly ready for one? I couldn't help falling for him when I did. I just feel like if I don't take that risk and confess my feelings to him now, I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life. And even if he rejects me, or we try dating and it doesn't work out, at least I can say I tried. The pain of rejection is nothing compared to the pain of regret, right?
I just need some reassurance and support. Someone tell me I made the right decision. And wish me luck 😅

Hey everyone, I'm a 19F, and I need some advice on a family situation that's been really tough for me lately.
A bit of background: I've always been a good student and very focused on my education. My parents have been supportive and have saved up a college fund for me since I was little. It's enough to cover my tuition and some living expenses for the next four years. I've recently been accepted to my dream university, and I'm super excited to start this new chapter of my life.
My older sister, 25F, has had a different path. She struggled in high school and didn't go to college right away. She worked various jobs and recently decided she wants to go back to school to pursue a nursing degree. Our parents are proud of her for making this decision, but they don't have the financial means to support her tuition since they focused on my college fund.
Last month, my sister approached me and asked if I could share some of my college fund with her. She believes that since our parents saved this money for education, it should be divided equally between us. She argued that family should help each other out and that I'm being unfair by not sharing.
I thought about it and decided to decline. Here are my reasons:

1. Preparation: I've worked hard in school to earn scholarships and maintain good grades, knowing that this fund was my ticket to a good education. My sister had the same opportunities but made different choices.
2. Financial Stability: My college fund isn't just for tuition; it's also for books, supplies, and living expenses. If I share it, I might struggle to cover my own costs and end up in debt.
3. Fairness: While I understand my sister's situation, it doesn't seem fair to penalize me for being focused and prepared. It's not about being selfish; it's about ensuring that I can complete my education without unnecessary financial stress.

When I told my sister my decision, she was heartbroken. She said I was being selfish and that I didn't care about her dreams. My parents are also disappointed, and they feel caught in the middle. They understand my perspective but also want to support my sister.
I feel really bad because I love my sister and want her to succeed. But I also feel like I need to prioritize my own education and future. Some of my friends agree with me, while others think I should compromise and help her out.
So, AITA for refusing to share my college fund with my older sister?

I think my friend is lying about his studies
I'm not sure if my friend is lying about his studies. It's possible he's been doing it for more than a year or two.
Hi. This is a throwaway account. I (24M) have a close friend(25M) who told me he is studying and found out he is about to graduate this year but I'm not sure if he is indeed studying.
His family contacted me and asked how he is, so I told them he's doing well and that we only meet up a few times in a month. But we always talk through messenger. We always talk about games and stuff we're both interested in, but I realized he never talked much about his studies.
I am from a different university and I always bring up some problems I had in the past. Anyway, the family then asked me if he ever mentioned anything about his studies and I answered them that we don't usually talk about that. Every time kasi na mag-open ako ng topic about school, he's always changing the topic. He also doesn't bring up any friends he has in his school. Minsan kahit maliit na tanong lang parang nakaka-sense ako na parang nagagalit siya so I don't know how to approach him about his studies.
His family is concerned about his health, kapag kinakausap nila tipong isang tanong, isang sagot lang. He's a very closed book regarding school matters and it got me to worry about him, too. The family is doubting him and asked if I know a way to check if he's indeed enrolled. At possible din daw na more than a year na siyang walang ginagawa. He lives alone and every time na magpunta ako sa place niya, I always find him playing video games or watching series/movies.
He never told me na gra-graduate siya this year kahit halos araw-araw kami magka-chat. He always sends me reels/videos and whatnot and that's how we usually start convos. Kaya it caught me off-guard na ang family niya ang nagsabi. Last month niya pa daw sinabi sa kanila and I'm so confused. Ayaw ko masira relationship ko sa friend ko na ito and he's sort of a ticking timebomb knowing he has no other friends in person. Although he mentioned he has friends online that he met from playing video games.
I looked through sa pages na related sa school niya and found out they already had pictorial for grad. That day turned out to be the day we played video games, watched movies and stayed most of the day at his place.
He's the kind of guy na kapag konting sensitive topic lang ayaw niya pag-usapan, typical macho-type ang tingin niya sa sarili niya. How can I talk to him about this without hurting him or at least hindi siya mag-react in a very defensive way?