Relationships

It sounds like this is really stressing you out. Hopefully I can help by answering your first question right off the bat: yes, this is normal. I think you’re right that the lack of contact could have been a factor in the cooling of your feelings towards your long-distance partners; that’s a common…

You’re facing down a process that, according to a bazillion sitcoms and teen dramas, ought to fill you with dread: introducing the person you’re dating to your parents and trying to peacefully navigate their feelings about your budding romance.

You are not being unreasonable. I don’t think his response and behavior about the lube is fine. I don’t think it’s okay for him to tell you that not having sex isn’t a big deal for you, or to tell you how important sex is to your relationship for both of you. I don’t think it’s fine for him to be…

I can understand why you aren’t feeling loved and wanted. It sounds like your partner is acting in a distinctly unloving way. I have some thoughts about ways you can approach conversations with him, to see if he’s willing to change his thoughts and actions here, but unless he is willing to make some…

When people ask about lowering their standards and whether it’s worth it to do so, the answer to that question depends on what those standards are. You didn’t describe yours in detail, so I don’t have much to go on, but in general, I’d divide what people tend to call “standards” into two types of…

It took a long time for me to come to terms with my singledom, but now that I’m here, I couldn’t be happier.

As the children of immigrants in the U.S. look for love, a question emerges: how do you deal with the idea of losing your cultural identity?

Hi Lily, Loneliness can be a real bummer, can’t it? Especially when you’re in a stage of transition — getting ready to go to college, leaving your old life behind — it’s easy to get a little anxious about what might lie ahead in the future. Take a deep breath, pour yourself a cup of tea, and let’s…

It sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into what you want from a romantic and sexual relationship, and that’s great! It’s always good to spend some time figuring out what you want and need before you start a relationship. By knowing yourself and your boundaries, you’ve got a solid foundation for…

I’m so sorry to hear that your friends’ behavior has got you feeling this way, Liv. From the sound of things, even if they’re not doing it on purpose, they’re souring what otherwise sounds like something that’s been pretty nice for you and is also obviously a formative life experience. A first…