Random Life Stories and Unpredictable Moments

i’m a high school senior and i’m dating a guy younger than me. he’s had one other girlfriend and people have told me they hooked up but we’ve never talked about it. ive had other boyfriends but i never had sex with them, though i have been assaulted outside of a relationship. i alluded to this when he asked if i was a virgin - prior to this event happening. we were talking for around two months and basically dating already when he was over at my house for the second time. we were watching a movie and making out, it was going fine. we had kissed before but not much more than that. he whispered in my ear “would it be so bad?” and i didn’t know what to say. i asked him what he meant but i knew, i told him it was too soon and gave the excuse that he’s too young (im a year and a half older). he told me no one would know and said he was consenting, but i just told him i didn’t know if it was a good idea. his hands made it into my pants and i asked if he was a virgin but then he paused and made an odd face before shaking his head. i went back to watching the movie but he asked a few more times. i just went silent because i didn’t know what to do. i kissed him and turned back around, the first time he came to my house he did the same thing to the point i took him home because i was upset. when he asked if the kiss meant a yes i didn’t say anything but then he pulled my pants down. i didn’t say anything because i just froze up and my heart was racing and i was scared but idk. he put it in and asked if it hurt and i didn’t respond even though it did. at one point i must have been so freaked out that he got scared too and pulled out, i think i was reliving something but this was a while ago. i felt a lot of emotions but i couldn’t or wouldn’t i guess say anything. i forgot what happened but he went to the bathroom and came back and i felt very conflicted. he noticed something was up and kept asking me what was wrong until i hugged him because i didn’t know what was wrong. i drove him home but after dropping him off i cried all the way home and sat in my driveway. i thought a lot about it for the next few days and i felt extremely conflicted, i cant even put a name to the emotions i was feeling. i told my best friend a week later thinking it would be fun gossip or something but i also felt like i needed to tell someone and she was disgusted. i started crying and she told me that it wasn’t okay but i wasn’t mad at him. he’s been through a lot so i feel very bad for him sometimes and he’s younger so he doesn’t know a lot and i couldn’t bring myself to agree with her about him assaulting me. the next few times he was over he kept asking and i said no, i texted him about a month later explaining how i was assaulted and i didn’t like that he was pressuring me when i already said no. he apologized a lot and it hasn’t happened since. we’ve been officially dating a couple months now and we’ve hooked up more, but i kind of feel like it hasn’t happened again because i haven’t said no again. i’ve talked to a few more of my friends about it and they all look sad and tell me it’s not okay. i just love him a lot and he’s very very sweet to me so it just doesn’t feel like assault. i don’t feel any kind of way about it right now but a while ago my best friend brought it up again and i had a meltdown so maybe im just blocking it out. she hates him and refuses to be around him over this. i haven’t considered breaking up with him over it and i haven’t voiced any of this to him, i just wanted to see what people thought.

i’ve been thinking a lot lately about my situation, and I need to get this off my chest. I’m 17 years old and, for as long as I can remember, anxiety has been a part of my life. I constantly feel on edge; it's like there’s this invisible weight sitting on my chest, squeezing harder with every passing day. Sometimes, I wonder, "can you get disability for anxiety?" I’ve heard stories about other people getting help, but I’m really not sure how it works. The idea of living with this kind of anxiety forever terrifies me, and I worry that if I don’t get help soon, my situation could go from bad to worse. It’s like I’m hanging on the edge of a cliff, not knowing if I’ll fall or find some sort of solid ground.

in school, I often find myself staring blankly at my desk, too overwhelmed to focus on the lesson. I try to distract myself with thoughts of what I’ll do once I graduate or how I want to travel, but the anxiety creeps back in like an uninvited guest. A few weeks ago, I had a panic attack during a test and, honestly, it was one of the worst feelings ever. I felt embarrassed; everyone was looking at me, and I just wanted to disappear. I heard from a friend that they got accommodations for their anxiety, and it got me really thinking: is it possible for me to get something similar? Would going through the process of applying for disability be worth it? And what happens if I get turned down? It’s a lot to think about…

I did some research and found out that, according to the SSA, to qualify for disability benefits, you generally need to demonstrate that your condition severely limits your ability to work. But that’s where things get tricky. Anxiety isn’t always visible like a physical injury, and I often feel like I need to prove I'm suffering. My reflection is like trying to catch smoke with my bare hands; it’s there, but I can’t hold onto it. I keep hearing, “You need a diagnosis,” but I’ve been hesitant to speak to a professional. Talking about my feelings is really tough for me; I think about going to a therapist or counselor, but then I question if they'll really understand what I'm going through. Is it worth the risk of being vulnerable? Should I be gathering evidence of my anxiety so I can substantiate my claim if it comes to that? So many questions and uncertainties…

eventually, I guess I’ll have to make a decision, but for now, I feel stuck in a rut. I keep telling myself I should take that first step either way—whether that means reaching out to a therapist for advice or starting the application process for disability benefits. Part of me thinks about what others might say if they find out; will they judge me? Will they say I’m just trying to take the easy way out? This whole situation feels like a never-ending maze; it’s disorienting, and I don’t really know which way to turn. there’s this constant whirlwind of thoughts swirling around my mind, and I just wish for a bit of clarity!! I wonder what other people have done in similar situations? It’s like, am I the only one trying to figure this all out? I guess I’m reaching out to you, random readers, hoping for some kind of insight or advice on how you’ve managed your own experiences. Thanks for listening rather than judging; it means a lot when all I seem to do is worry!

Or maybe I should rephrase it being ‘alone’ yk I might just be saying this bc of my situation like I sit alone at school no friends but yk I have kinda learnt to deal with it and I’m still bothered but it doesn’t make me that sad anymore. Ok so the main thing in jan I posted a video saying ‘I want a movie where they idolised being alone instead of always makimg it seem like a bad thing’ with the caption- where the characters ACTUALLY have no friends and are still happy and surprising it did get a lot of views and comments 😭 but it was controversial in the comments apparently? Like some people were saying ‘cause it is depressing ? 💀’ others were saying like ‘no it’s not. We don’t always need to be with people’ OK LIKE I GET WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE ‘humans need connection’ but just hear me out. Like believe me I HAVE tried making friends like I’ve gone up to a girl abd was like hey and whe low-key looked uncomfortable 😭 still regret doing it and just yesterday I tried again she was AWKWARD like hopefully u get what I’m saying like yes I’m sure that whole human connection thing makes sense but yk some people just don’t have good people in their lives. And BRO FONT GETME STARTED ON MY MOTHER. Like when I told her I have no one in school that I just sat alone she was like why don’t u try? like that’s not normal! We need people u need to change your mindset! But u see the thing is like bro I have kinda changed my mindset to not needing people bro if I badly wanted people till now my mental health will have become so bad🙏 like I kinda hope u understand my perseptive of wanting a movie like this? Like a character who has no friends and still is happy yk their entire life is based around others. I don’t wnat advice on making friends IVE TRIED I want to be truly happy alone

t’s 2025, and let’s be honest by now, everyone and their cat knows about the Law of Attraction. “Just think about it and boom, the universe delivers.” I actually tried it once, and guess what? It kinda worked! Like the universe looked at me and went, “Alright queen, here you go, enjoy a little glow-up.”

Now I’m back, knocking on the universe’s door like, “Hi again, I’m ready! I want a whole new lifemarriage, kids, a family, maybe even a sprinkle of romantic feelings.” The only tiny little problem? I’ve got major trust issues with the opposite sex. Like, Olympic-level rejection vibes. Thanks, past trauma!

So I sit with myself and ask, “What do I really want?” Do I want a simple life where I wake up early, make breakfast for my husband and kids, wait for them to get home from school, cook something warm, help them with homework, and we live humbly ever after?

Or should I shoot for the luxury package—big house, personal assistants, iced coffee delivered to my bedside, and I don’t lift a finger unless it’s to tap ‘add to cart’? I mean, who doesn’t want that? My entire wardrobe would scream brand names louder than my inner voice.

But the thing is, both lives have perks. In the modest life, I’d get love, attention, real connection. In the luxury life, sure I’d be comfy, but I might miss out on the joy of making my kid a simple chocolate milk and watching their face light up. Because, well… someone else would probably be doing that stuff. I might not even remember which kid is in which grade.

So here I am, confused. I don’t know what to choose. And please, spare me the “Pick what’s right for you” advice—I don’t know what’s right for me! That’s literally why I’m asking.

But one thing I do know? I’ve made the decision. I’m ready to change. I’m ready to start. I’m ready to love. So dear universe, stop playing hard to get. I’m manifesting—big time.

I moved into a house with two friends, R and E. I moved in earlier and introduced R to my friend group because none of her friends were at university yet. Before she met them, I told her I had feelings for someone in the group. Despite this, she began subtly flirting with him. When I told her it hurt me, she said she would never date him, but later invited him over privately without telling me and only informed me at the last minute.

Within the span of about a week, she told me she thought he was flirting with her and that she wanted to pursue him. I left the house for a few days, and when I returned, I told her that if she continued pursuing him, I did not want to be friends and wanted her to keep her distance from me. She responded by saying they were now in a relationship. This happened about a week and a half after I had told her about my feelings, and he had been my friend first.

At one point, I found R and the guy together in our kitchen. I told her that he could not be in the house, and this led to an argument. She attempted to apologise, but I stood my ground and told her to leave me alone and not speak to me. After that interaction, I did not approach or engage with her again.

E, the second flatmate, said she would stay neutral but acknowledged that R was in the wrong. Over time, R stopped coming to the house frequently.

As of 07/01/2026, R moved out without telling me and informed the landlord that she felt “unsafe” living with me, which she used as a reason to end her lease. A few weeks earlier, E had also said she planned to move out, initially explaining that it was due to worsening physical health and that she wanted to pursue treatment in her hometown. However, the landlord later told me that both R and E had stated they were moving because they did not feel safe living with me.

This was shocking to me, particularly regarding E, as we never had any conflicts. She continued to knock on my door, ask to spend time with me, and sent friendly messages, including wishing me Merry Christmas. I never harassed, threatened, or confronted either of them after the initial argument with R. I respected boundaries and left R alone. Despite this, both claimed they felt unsafe, which I believe was influenced by R’s original statement and E repeating it.

As a result of these events, I feel betrayed by both R and E, as well as isolated from my wider friendship group, who have distanced themselves from me after I set boundaries.

I'm so fucking upset by all this.

I never really thought about how much of our lives bleed through screens until I ended up talking with someone online who felt like they knew me better than people in real life. Isn’t it kind of wild? You log into some random chat, or even just leave a comment under a post, and suddenly there’s this exchange that feels more authentic than what happens at the dinner table. I guess that’s what people mean when they say “we’re not really strangers” online. There’s this paradox: we are technically strangers, but then you share these raw pieces of yourself and, boom, the distance collapses. I told this person about how I used to keep a journal in high school because I didn’t have anyone to vent to. They laughed and said, “You’re still journaling, you’re just doing it here now.” That hit me, like maybe this random human behind a username gets it. Do you think it’s possible to form real friendships this way, friendships that last, or are we just fooling ourselves with illusions of connection? Some people warn about “parasocial relationships,” but honestly, isn’t every relationship a little parasocial at the start until trust builds?

Anyway, I don’t want to romanticize it too much, because there are risks—catfish, ghosting, all that nonsense—but still, there’s a hopeful part of me that thinks maybe we underestimate the value of digital closeness. Once, I was ranting about my job frustrations, how the deadlines piled up and the boss barely acknowledged effort, and this online friend just said, “Take a breath, you’re doing more than enough.” Simple words, but I teared up. That tiny message carried more compassion than the HR department ever did. Maybe the internet, for all its flaws, creates pockets of kindness that we stumble into when we least expect it. And I like to think there’s meaning in that. Even if we never meet, even if I never know their face, isn’t there something powerful in recognizing someone’s humanity through their typed-out words? I hold onto that. And I wonder if you’ve ever felt it too—reading a stranger’s post at 3 a.m. and thinking, “Wow, I’m not alone in this.” That’s why I keep showing up here, because despite the chaos and the anonymity, there’s always that tiny flicker of connection reminding me the world isn’t so cold after all 🙂.

My family was eager to have pets, so we ended up adopting a mixed breed dog from the local shelter and two kittens. While everyone enjoyed playing with the new additions, the task of actually taking care of them fell entirely on my shoulders.

Every morning at 5:30 a.m., I was the one taking the dog for walks, cleaning the litter boxes, handling all the vet visits, buying and preparing their meals, and tidying up their feeding areas. If I left any of these tasks to my partner or the kids, they would either forget or do such a sloppy job that I ended up having to redo it anyway.

The situation was similar with the house plants and the indoor herb and vegetable garden my partner decided to start. They lost interest after the initial excitement, leaving me to deal with the aftermath of neglected plants: dead leaves, spilled soil, and pest infestations. If I didn’t step in to water and care for them, no one would.

Maintaining a clean and orderly home is important to me, especially since I grew up in a household that hoarded animals, resulting in a living environment that was far from ideal. I’m determined not to let history repeat itself in my own home. Unfortunately, if I don’t keep on top of the pets’ needs, the consequences are immediate and messy—the cats will spray if their litter isn’t clean, and the dog will chew and cause havoc if not walked regularly.

Given the lack of initiative from my family, I’ve decided to move the pets outdoors for the time being. The dog now has a doghouse, and the cats are outdoor cats, until the family proves they can handle the responsibility of indoor pets. Of course, in extreme weather conditions, I’ll bring them back inside. The plants are going outdoors too.

I’M DONE.

Honestly, if my life was a series on a reality TV show, I can only imagine the chaos and drama my frustrations would stir up each episode. Viewers would probably be divided; some might sympathize with my plight while others could argue that my measures are too drastic. It would definitely spark debate.

If I were to be featured on a reality show, how do you think viewers would react to my actions?

I feel like I don't want people's pity or their complaints anymore—I don't know if a previous post of mine is online—I don't want her. I don't want any more rescues. This is what my mother was getting at. That woman only lived to point out what was wrong with me, going to extremes for God's sake, and supported by others. All her life, that woman has lived to pressure and thus intervene with me. What's the point of having someone as a slave? That's why she had her mother and me. Until when? It bothers me because I feel like I can't say bad things here, otherwise, I feel like I'd be breaking the rules.

I hate my mother. I never want to see her again. Since my treatment, she's turned out to be the person I hate the most, even more than my aunt. Manipulative, cynical, and also someone who deceives people by using people who don't share what she claims. That's what deception is all about. My mother is a criminal, a person who simply thrives on adventure, doing things her way, and she likes it. How can anyone practice that? How can anyone like such practices? Has my mother lost her mind, for God's sake? How could my mother go to such extremes? God forbid. This is too much. I can't be with someone like that, nor should anyone. What's that? On top of that, using my grandmother to get me to come to her house, luring me in through pity. Damn, what kind of mentality is that, for God's sake? My mother needs a psychologist or to be locked up in a mental hospital immediately, or I'd even include being behind bars. I can't believe these attitudes I picked up from my mother, even though I'm aware of this. How could she like my mother? How can my grandmother support that? Have they lost their minds?

My mother was even willing to go to the university to see if I had earned my degree, when that's a matter for me, for my adulthood. It can't be that the university gave her information about this. I can't believe my mom went to elaborate or make my situation worse regarding this issue. What happened to the degree wasn't her problem. My mom even said I should do it for her happiness, for God's sake. How could that woman have believed I would act for her happiness? In the places where I received care for my treatment, they took away my degree. I'm going to have to burn it to avoid any further trouble. It can't be that people wanted to mess with my degree. Besides, they're thinking about my future when I've been separated from them for a long time. My life isn't their problem, and I've proven it on several occasions. It can't be that my mom didn't understand that, as well as other family members. And at this point! I waited until they were more vulnerable to make a bigger suggestion! What mental misery, for God's sake! I can't believe this; this is damn abuse. I can't believe this happened to me; frankly, I can't believe it. I feel extremely confused. It's definitive that I can't have anything with this family; if I do anything, they'll want to say it's theirs. They'll make excuses. I can't continue wasting my time with them. This attitude is too much.

My mother asking crazy questions, inquiring about my life, just like my aunt did when I never wanted to share my life with them. I mean, this is an abuse of their authority as housewives. This is shocking. I'm never dealing with any of them again, under any circumstances. They pushed me to the limit. It can't be that my own family pushed me to the limit. My mom leaves me alone at university, everywhere, even though I tell her things to her face. How many times has that woman tried to make me look bad on the street because of my treatment? That woman made a living by making me angry, for God's sake. My aunt was worse; she only made a living by pressuring me more and more, just like her. I can never go back to these relatives. Living with them is a failure, it's impossible. It's not even stable when I'm not there, where everyone imposes themselves on her or the other way around. I don't know how my father could have thought of living with her, just when I was feeling bad. I find it hard to believe my father didn't really want to kill me, when this was the case and he'd known it for a long time.

Why did my father send me to live with two crazy women? Maybe whatever was wrong with me wouldn't kill me, but putting up with them would have killed me. I mean, frankly, they were unbearable. No human being can live with such miserable people. I personally am grateful for having maintained zero distance from them at all costs. If they thought there would be any gratitude from me, they were wrong. In fact, it was a way for both of us to gradually escape, to run away from there at all costs. I preferred to go home to be alone, despite all the consequences there had been and would be. That treatment was so unnecessary, I mean, it was the worst because it made me need company and my life is made for that I'm alone; that joke didn't take me seriously, it was as if life couldn't conspire with the system, and that's why I feel so excluded from it.

I feel so furious about what happened. So angry. I'm about to break everything that's ever been and ever will be. It can't be that I had to live through that. It can't be that it happened to me. I feel so angry. And on top of that, those women, my mom and my aunt, trying to see me again. How nauseating. I mean, they have no shame. After all the mess they made, even my aunt pressured me to stay at her house! They have no shame. They want me to act like nothing's happening to put up with them, and no, definitely not. I'd rather they put them through the worst possible time, but I'm not going to risk it for them. As expected, sooner or later the storm hit. It didn't happen at first, but then it finally hit. How eager they were to think that I wouldn't react, that I wouldn't do anything. How careless, for God's sake. I've always been one of those people who flaunts the truth, with prudence, but when they want to escape, what choice do I have? I have no choice but to act this way, under pressure from that same way of acting. I feel like these women are looking for some kind of companion in life, something like that, but I'm not there for them, and they do everything they can—coerce, play group games, etc.—to make it happen. I say it categorically: I would never share my life with them. And then come and impose this on me? In effect, they saw me as a toy, a little bag to be molded. That's a miserable mentality, for God's sake!

Today, I experienced something I feel compelled to share, but let me provide some backdrop first. A while back, doctors diagnosed my mom, in her sixties, with a brain tumor that wasn’t causing her distress at the time. It was accidentally discovered during a check-up for a different issue. The doctors decided to monitor it rather than conducting invasive procedures.

Fast forward to the present, the tumor has gotten bigger. Mom's doctors are suggesting surgery to remove it and carry out further tests. Naturally, my mom is terrified about the operation and keeps wavering on her decision.

I relayed this situation to my husband, who's 35 like me. We've purposely kept our daughter, who's four, in the dark about her grandma's condition, so I spoke to him in private. It's important to know that my husband strongly favors natural remedies and believes people should address the root causes of their health problems. While I agree that medicine or surgery isn't always necessary—having managed my own anxiety and depression through lifestyle adjustments—his views can be a bit extreme for me.

Previously, when my sister was dealing with thyroid cancer, he attributed it to her stress levels and recommended meditation.

He gave a similar response when my dad needed urgent care for internal bleeding.

And once, when I had severe chest pain and had to rush to the ER—where I later found out I needed more tests—he insisted it was just anxiety and didn't accompany me.

When we found out our daughter had allergies and needed medication, he argued it was because she didn't spend enough time outdoors, claiming codependency could trigger respiratory issues.

Discussing my mom’s current medical issue, he suggested that breathwork could cure brain cancer and expressed that if he were in her shoes, he'd avoid surgery or medication and focus on lifestyle changes that might have led to the illness.

I requested him not to share these views with my mom and to instead offer me support. I wanted to know if he thought I was okay or if he could provide me emotional backing. He replied that he couldn’t support me while I disregarded his treatment ideas. Frustrated, I cut off the conversation.

Am I being unreasonable for asking him not to impose his unsolicited holistic treatments on my mom or to refrain from sharing those views with me? Please note, I’ve never asked for his medical opinions in the past, only for his emotional support.

Imagine if I were on some reality show discussing this—I bet the audience would be gasping and taking sides! Some might cheer for holistic approaches, while others would probably empathize with the need for emotional support during tough times. The scene would get heated, prompting all sorts of reactions from shock to support to disbelief!

I'm 32, I'm a man, and I work in IT, and people really dont understand how stressful this shit is unless they're in it. Everybody thinks tech is easy money, comfy chair, dark room, a few emails, then log off. That's the fantasy. The reality is waking up tense because overnight some idiot posted another "AI will replace engineers by next year" take, then opening Slack to three fires, two passive-aggressive messages, and a manager saying we need to "do more with less" like that isn't just corporate code for squeeze us until somebody breaks. Every week there's another layoff headline, and I'm supposed to act grateful I still have a job. Grateful for what? Being tracked, compared, and quietly threatened by automation while executives talk in smug little slogans like "adapt or die" and "AI is just a tool." Easy to say when it's not your neck on the block. I build things, fix things, stop disasters before anybody notices, and the second nothing explodes people assume I did nothing. That's IT. If everything works, nobody sees you. If one thing breaks, suddenly everybody's a pissed off expert asking what you even do all day. You're expected to answer fast, learn new tools faster, sit in pointless meetings, patch ancient junk nobody wants to fund, and then smile when leadership dumps some half-baked AI project on your desk and says "figure it out." Half the people are gone, the rest of us are just pretending the floor isn't cracking under our feet 😑

A few months ago I was at my desk at 11:40 p.m. trying to fix a production issue after a full day of meetings, and my wife walked by and said, dead serious, "must be nice to just sit in front of a screen and wait for the end of the day." That one pissed me off in a way I can't even explain right. I wasn't waiting for shit. I was trying to stop a customer mess from turning into a full outage while replying to my boss, who wanted updates every fifteen minutes like I was some machine. I had cold coffee, a headache drilling behind my eye, and that tight feeling in my chest because all I could think was, if I screw this up, am I next? That's where my brain goes now. Not "how do I solve this nicely," just "if they cut me, how the hell do I pay the mortgage?" Because unlike the idiots on LinkedIn posting fake inspiration about "embracing change," I have an actual life attached to this paycheck. Mortgage. Bills. Groceries. Insurance. Repairs. Normal boring adult stuff that doesn't care about buzzwords. I don't get to romanticize instability. And what's really fun is when people act like working in IT means I should be thankful no matter how bad it gets. "At least you're not doing manual labor." Yeah, cool, thanks, because apparently mental exhaustion doesn't count unless you're bleeding on concrete. Try spending years in a field where the ground keeps moving, expectations keep multiplying, and every smug article hints you're old news by 35. You think hearing "AI can already code" ten thousand times doesn't get in your head? People who never touched a real production system talk like the job is just typing and googling. They have no clue what it's like to carry risk in your head every single day;

And before some smartass says, "well, just switch careers," yeah, sure, because that's easy when you're already exhausted, when the market is flooded, and when every job post wants one person to be developer, architect, support, security, cloud, analyst, and project manager for one mid paycheck. I read those listings and honestly want to laugh, except it's not funny, it's insulting. They want six jobs in one body and still want to lowball you because now there's this threat hanging over the whole field: perform harder, justify your existence every quarter, or get replaced by someone cheaper or some half-working AI stack plus one poor bastard left to babysit it. And people outside it still say dumb crap like, "but you work from home, how stressful can it be?" Are you kidding me? Stress doesn't vanish because the walls are yours. It follows you into the kitchen, into bed, into weekends, into the five minutes you're supposed to be relaxing before another notification hits. I used to actually like solving problems. I used to feel proud when I shipped something good or untangled a nasty issue nobody else could crack. Now it mostly feels like survival. Keep the checks coming, keep your head down, don't piss off the wrong manager, don't fall behind on the newest thing, don't become "redundant." That's the word they love, right? Not scared people with families, just "redundant." So yeah, I get angry when people trivialize this job, especially my own wife, because sitting in front of a screen is not the same as carrying a constant fear that one bad quarter, one reorg, one shiny AI demo, and your whole life gets shoved toward a cliff. Tell me, honestly, would you sleep well with that hanging over you all the time? Because I don't. I sleep like crap, I wake up angry, and I'm real tired of pretending this is normal.

Okay, so I really don’t know what to do right now. I’ve been dating my boyfriend for like, almost a year, and it’s been good, i guess? But lately, I keep asking myself this one question over and over: Should I break up with my boyfriend? And the fact that I’m even asking that makes me feel terrible because it’s not like he’s done something super wrong or anything. It’s just... ugh, I don’t even know how to explain it.

First of all, he’s not a bad guy or whatever. Like, he’s super sweet sometimes, and when we first started dating, he’d do all these cute things, like sending me good morning texts or surprising me with snacks during lunch. But now? It’s like he’s stopped trying. He doesn’t text me first anymore, barely even asks how I’m doing, and when we hang out, he’s always on his phone playing stupid games. It’s like I’m not even there half the time. I’ve tried talking to him about it, but he just says, “I’m busy” or “I didn’t know it was a big deal.” Like, hello?? I’m your girlfriend. Shouldn’t you care how i feel?

Then there’s the whole jealousy thing. He gets SO jealous over the dumbest stuff. Like last week, I was just talking to one of my guy friends at school—literally just talking—and later, he was all moody and weird about it. He kept saying stuff like, “Why were you laughing so much with him?” and “You don’t act like that around me anymore.” Like, excuse me? I can have friends! It’s so exhausting trying to constantly reassure him that I’m not cheating or whatever.

But at the same time, I feel bad even thinking about breaking up because I know he cares about me. Like, he’s the type of guy who would defend me if someone was being mean or walk me home if it’s late. And there are moments where I still feel like he loves me, you know? Like, the other day, he randomly brought me coffee because I had a bad day at school. Stuff like that makes me think maybe I’m just overthinking all this and being too harsh on him. But then, the next day, he’ll do something that makes me so frustrated, and I’m right back to wondering if I should break up with him.

It doesn’t help that everyone around me seems to have an opinion. My best friend keeps telling me I deserve better and that if he’s making me feel like this, then I should just end it. But then some of my other friends are like, “Relationships have ups and downs, and you just have to work through them.” So which one is it? Am I supposed to just stick it out and hope it gets better, or is this a sign that it’s time to let go?

Oh, and my parents don’t even like him. They think he’s “too immature” and that I could be focusing on school instead of dealing with boyfriend drama. And honestly? Sometimes I think they might be right. I feel like I spend more time stressing about this relationship than actually enjoying it. But does that mean I should break up with him? Or does every couple go through stuff like this?

The thing is, I do care about him. I really do. But I also feel like I’m losing myself a little bit in this relationship. Like, I used to hang out with my friends all the time and do fun stuff after school, but now it’s like everything revolves around him. If he’s in a bad mood, it ruins my whole day. If he’s happy, I feel like I can finally relax. It’s exhausting, and I don’t know if that’s normal or if I’m just stuck in something unhealthy.

Ugh, I feel like I’m rambling, but I seriously don’t know what to do. Part of me is scared to break up with him because what if I regret it? What if I realize I made a huge mistake, and by then, it’s too late? But then the other part of me is like, what if staying with him means I keep feeling this way? I don’t want to wake up one day and realize I wasted all this time on someone who doesn’t make me happy.

If you’ve ever felt like this, please tell me what you did. Did you break up, or did you try to work things out? How do you even know if it’s time to end things? Right now, I just feel so confused and stuck. I mean, I like him, but do I like him enough to keep dealing with all this? And if I’m already asking myself, “Should I break up with my boyfriend?” does that mean deep down I already know the answer?

When I first settled into the place next door to my elder brother, Thomas, and his wife, I felt pretty comfortable. Thomas has always been keen on mechanics and was thrilled about the spacious four-stall garage on my new property, plus the snug two-stall attachment to the house. From the beginning, it seemed my family assumed I wouldn't require all this space. Thomas started using the front garage right away, and initially, I didn't mind.

As time went by, Thomas brought over more of his belongings. Despite having ample storage on his own property including a garage and two sheds, my space started filling up. I tried to overlook this; after all, I hadn’t needed the extra space, upholding a 'don't sweat the small stuff' attitude. However, within a year, not only my back garage but also my front garage and basement began accumulating Thomas' stuff.

The clutter didn’t truly bother me until my boyfriend, Jake, moved in. Jake was quick to point out the inconvenience posed by the overflowing storage, particularly as he contemplated buying a boat or camper which we'd have nowhere to store. Gradually, I realized this arrangement might be inadvertently encouraging Thomas's hoarding tendencies, especially since I was beginning to declutter my own possessions.

Just last week, Thomas showed up intending to store two more boxes in my attic. Seeing that I’m trying to minimize clutter throughout my house, I stood my ground and refused. While Thomas seemed to take it well, the real extent of how he felt became apparent shortly after.

This weekend, Jake and I returned home to find Thomas clearing out his stored items from my back garage, preparing to place them into newly purchased sheds. His actions felt sudden and emotional, although he insisted he was fine. But after some insistance, his wife revealed that my refusal to accept the attic boxes upset him to the extent that he decided to withdraw all his belongings from my property.

Talking to Thomas' wife and my own family shed more light on their perspectives; they all seemed to empathize with Thomas more than with me. My mom, despite recently decluttering herself, and even our mutual friends sided with him, which makes me question what version of the story they've heard. Jake, thankfully, supports me, recognizing the importance of establishing clear boundaries.

The whole situation leaves me frustrated. I hate causing distress to my brother, but at the same time, I am relieved his stuff is finally being cleared out. I feel a mix of guilt for drawing these boundaries, as it's natural for me to try to please others, but I'm exasperated that everyone but Jake views me negatively for it.

I wonder how this family drama would play out if it was under the scrutiny of reality TV cameras. Would the audience see me as being unreasonable or would they empathize with my plight for personal space? Reality TV tends to dramatize conflicts, so perhaps my stance might either be seen as a heroic stand for personal boundaries or painted as overly harsh and insensitive.

Hello everyone, I don't vent usually but I need to share my feelings. I have been in a relationship for 8 years. Lets call him A, we have been on and off, because we fell out for a few years but this is a new story. He reached out to me to reconnect and start dating after a long period of no contact. We were going strong happy we would work it out if we had conflicts. I believed that love can be worked out and he did too we both agreed on most things but we did have a conversation about having kids. I didn't mind if they're adopted, ivf surrogate or even biological. I am a trans man so at first I had to think about it but I wanted kids with him I wanted our future together. He knows I'm trans but I wanted to let him know what if I couldn't have them? I don't think I couldn't but I just wanted to see his reaction well he just went to you don't want kids then. That wasn't true but we seemed to figure it out ever since then I felt like he didn't feel the same way before but he assured me everything is fine I'm just over thinking. Fast forward to now, were long distance we live 8000 plus miles apart we both are focused on visiting each other, he was going to see me but he said something happened where his work won't let him get PTO. I've met him multiple times younger so I made the choice to visit him in his country although its not the most supportive of trans people anyways I tell him hey I'm going to come then he buys a house. A house there lol to visit me. In return that made him tell me to wait I got really upset because it felt like he made plans to stay there for now even though I've been trying to work for a future with him. He hits me with, do you really want kids? I said yeah I do and then he says even to breast feed? I'm like wait no what I'm trying to get top surgery. Its my body and I feel like bottle feeding is better. Anyway that was so shocking to him he almost crashed his car. This made him feel like he lost the fire and it was so important that he said its not going to work. I told him I'm okay I'll compromise but he said he will never see a future with me and he's afraid of me being in the future “my kid my choice” to him a kid is a final thing and he's scared of what I might do. I feel offended but sad I wanted to reconcile he said he loves me so much, but I changed the whole core of our relationship. He says I pushed him to making it forever cause I said well if you see no future that means we can't be in each others life and he said that's fine but he loves me anyway. He wishes that I'd be forever there but no future :(.

Before the school year ended, I tried to run for a leadership position in our school, specifically the head role of our organization. I attained it by winning the elections, and I was the only one who ran for it. And obviously, I was the one who was going to win because of it. Afterwards, I represented my org for 4 months and didn't plan to resign because I actually found my passion in this position. I planned projects, organized the turnover files, and assisted my organization in its events. I also was able to appoint my secretary, which took me a while for some reason. Everything was going fine and smooth not until I did something that violated one of the school rules. It was before entrance exams, I was struggling to get resources for my review and due to pressure I did something out of desperation. I snuck a book from the library inside my bag and tried to keep it at home. I was caught by the alarms just as when I was about to go out. I returned it as soon as possible and was anxious on what happened. Due to this, I was obliged to undergo a disciplinary intervention for three days. Just as when I thought everything is going to be fine after I finished this, the council moderators was also informed about the incident. And because of the council rules, anyone who committed something like this should be relieved from the leadership position. I was so disappointed and hated myself for few weeks. Then, the council moderator decided to have a meeting with me and my fellow officers about the position being vacant. I just said to them that I resigned, no other explanation. But deep inside, I let them down. I know I could have done better. I know I could have avoided that situation. Fortunately enough, they still value me, but not all of them. Some of them lost respect for me because I am not the head anymore, and it was all so sudden. I am also having a hard time detaching myself because I also want to contribute and compensate after I stepped down. It all goes back and forth. I really shouldn't have ran for the position in the first place. I hear voices like these. I didn't even deserve my position and that I was only there for a show. I didn't even achieve the projects I have in mind. How can I even move forward? Yes, I want to volunteer and help my core officers but everytime I do so, I hear voices that why am I still here? It's my last semester in this school and it's hard to feel this way everyday, especially since I lost my confidence at the same time I lost my position.

I literally just want to like starve myself and throw up whatever I eat and then starve myself some more if only I could just be skinny. please someone tell me how to induce vomiting, tell me how to not be hungry anymore. God I'm so fat. fucking kill me if I cant be skinny.