Q - Dear Annabelle, I'm in a very weird state right now. I went away to school but I wasn't ready. Therefore I came home and took local classes for a year. I also have a boyfriend and being away from him was very tough. But now I'm going back. I'm very scared because last time I was at school I freaked out. I'm very anxious about going back and I always want my boyfriend around me. I don't think it's fair to him because he's been getting frustrated because I cry a lot. I just feel so scared. In addition, his sister just had a baby and of course I'm happy for him, but there's a part of me that's not so happy. Right now I need him and I'm afraid that he will be spending so much time with the baby that I'll just be second hand. He tells me that he would never let that happen he loves me too much. I know this is true but I don't know how to make the feeling go away. A - Dear Anonymous, You ARE in a Îvery weird state nowâ.......and you ARE feeling Îanonymousâ. Youâre just too young to be away from home and itâs scary for you. Everyone develops differently and, though you probably THINK that you Îshouldâ be able to be away from home and at school, youâre not developmentally ready and, know what?......youâre using your boyfriend as one of your stuffed animals.......for comfort........kind of like your Îblankieâ from when you were a baby. You canât ever Îmake a feeling go awayâ, but you CAN learn to ride it out. You will survive this, itâs just that you havenât had enough practice being Îokâ with yourself. Youâll be fine, learn to contain your anxieties and write in a journal. Young men tend to turn from girls who cry too much......it gets their white knight armor all spotted. They like to Îfixâ things, but they give up when the Îfixingâ doesnât take. Itâs up to YOU to deliver a sunny exterior......thatâs just part of maturing. You might want to go see a counselor in Student Services........they can help you. This isnât at all unusual and itâs hurting you. Good luck, anonymous.........you will get through this. I know it hurts and is confusing. - Annabelle