If it felt awkward the last time you asked someone out it probably will the next time also. It’s at least a little awkward for most people, so don’t stress. Just ask.

Unrequited love is hard. It’s the topic of so many artworks that it must also be quite common. IOW, you’re not alone in loving someone who doesn’t love you. Seek out poems, stories, and songs about unrequited love, wallow in your pain for a while, and then… gather your strength and move on. (Here are some poems to get you started: bit.ly/poems-unrequited). You’ll find someone you love who loves you back, I’m certain of it.

Potential husbands are all over the place. I recommend getting involved in activities or clubs where potential husbands congregate. Take up rock climbing at a climbing wall, say, or sign up for a writing workshop series at Grub Street, get involved in a politically active group… it all depends on your interests. Churches come to mind, too, as do charities. In short, do what interests you, in groups, and you will meet people with shared interests who might become friends and might even become romantic prospects.

It depends on the situation. Sometimes it’s hard because we’re having so much fun but we need to address other responsibilities (“I’m having so much fun at this party but I need to leave because I’m working in the morning.”) Sometimes it signals a huge change in our lives, e.g., when you graduate and move on to a whole new world. It’s scary to leave behind the safety and security of what you know and enter the unknown. And it’s sad because you’ll be leaving behind some people too. Change can be difficult, but change can also lead to new adventures and opportunities and growth. I’ll end with some wise words from A.A. Milne and Walt Disney that may help to provide some perspective. “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” “Goodbye may seem forever. Farewell is like the end, but in my heart is the memory and there you will always be.”