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I'm 24 (turning 25 in a couple weeks) and I've never been in a relationship.

Up until meeting someone a couple years ago, dating never really interested me. A lot of that was due to emotional trauma from stuff as a kid, and because I'm pretty introverted, while I'm book smart, I'm not very "socially smart", I guess you could say.

The girl I met later rejected me for someone else, who she is going to marry. Unfortunately, I have been rejected in the handful of times I have asked girls out over the years.

All of this said, here are some of my thoughts about dating as a whole:

1. I have to "earn" a relationship by accomplishing things. In other words, until I accomplish things A, B and C in life, I have to put dating on the backburner.

2. I realize I may have bitterness issues from being rejected in the past. That, I think, is a major play in why I have stayed single. Should I be with someone, I don't want to think about them and my past failures at the same time, as I don't think that's fair.

3. I think my lack of experience also hurts me a great deal. It's not like I'm 13 or 14 anymore. I have to think about things beyond just "I like this girl", because there are things like the future to think about as well.

All of this said, are these real concerns to be... for lack of a better term, concerned with, or are these just made-up things in my head that I should brush away?

Long story short, I am finally beginning to see my self-worth, at age 24, after dealing with social anxiety and depression since my teenage years.

But, unfortunately, I lack many experiences many people have at this age. This leaves me nervous for adventures down the road, especially romantically.

In the past, I often balked at the idea of being with someone. If it wasn't thinking I was too young (in my teenage years, in high school), it was my insecurities.

Some of these have carried over to now, but I find myself more hopeful that things will turn around, yet still feeling hopeless. I haven't figured out whether reasons I've stayed away from relationships are valid or whether I'm just making BS excuses, and that things like my past don't matter.

How should I approach things in the short-term? Should I continue to work on myself, give dating a chance, or something else?

At one time or another in my life, I have always found a reason to ignore being in a romantic relationship.

In middle and high school, I believed I was too young to take something like that seriously. I watched people my age get into them, and laughed at the idea that it was worthwhile then.

I had self-esteem and self-confidence issues then as well, something that still holds true at age 24. Only, with me being older, I'm not sure what are legitimate reasons to stay single and what aren't.

After being in therapy for some of those issues (including emotional struggles after being bullied during my teenage years and after losing a friend to suicide when I was 18), I am beginning to pay attention to my own needs. I realize that I would like to be in a relationship, among other things. Yet, I have doubts because I have - quite literally - no experience, I don't have a job, I've yet to finish college and still have the confidence/esteem problems.

I get that the only way I can gain experience is to try, but my past with this also plays a part in me holding back. I have only attempted to ask girls out a handful of times over the years, and have been rejected each time. As you might imagine, the rejection - combined with the other things I mentioned above - have made me quite hesitant despite my newfound desire.

With all of that on my plate... how do I not let my difficult past affect a possible relationship?

I met a girl about 6 months ago. We connected when we first met, and quickly became each other's best friend. We've told each other a lot about our lives, the good, bad, ugly and all that jazz. We trust each other as much as two people possibly can.

We've always been flirty around each other, but we've respected each other's space and have never really seriously talked about trying to be together or exploring each other physically. We have both expressed interest in being in a relationship, which is great.

Last night, we were texting each other and she mentioned she'd like to have sex with me (in a serious tone). I was taken back even though I had a good idea she wanted to try that out.

I've been hesitant about that kind of thing before. I did not grow up in a great environment in the emotional sense, having been bullied quite a bit during my middle school years. That bullying, and a few other personal things, has caused me to not trust people - or myself - as much as I should. I have virtually no self-confidence whatsoever.

I've never been in a relationship, and only recently began discovering my personal needs. I'm not the kind of guy who puts himself first, although I'm happy that I'm starting to change that. We know each other's wants & needs, but I still have a lot of self-doubt.

How do I keep calm and collected about this & not let it get to me? Thanks for the help!

I met a girl several months ago. We hit it off very quickly - we share similar senses of humor, lifestyles, etc. - and became fast friends.

We have shared a lot with each other, things like our personal struggles and such, and have been very supportive of each other throughout our friendship.

A couple weeks ago, she mentioned to me - while I was lamenting about a situation that didn't work out with another girl - that she would gladly be willing to date me if she didn't have a boyfriend. (Now, I do not have any experience being in relationships, or even the small stuff for that matter. Not surprisingly, I was taken aback by it.)

I laughed it off and things continued to go as usual. When I asked her about it later on, she said it was because she thought I was a great person and that we're a lot alike. At the same time, she said that she would likely be separating from her boyfriend due to grad school and wasn't sure that their relationship could endure that.

I have been very respectful of their relationship, and ask next to nothing about her with her boyfriend (because, obviously, it's not my place to do such a thing). After talking to her about it since, I've found this out: we both genuinely believe we would be great together, but I'm a bit unsure about it.

I feel semi-stupid for asking this, but am I just a third wheel or an option to her?

What should I do? (I'm considering letting things be and having the chips fall where they may)

So here's the deal:

For two summers now, there's been a girl who's flirted with me at a golf course I frequent. She happens to be a waitress there.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she has a boyfriend, but she seems to like me. I've caught her staring at me more than once, and even overheard a fellow waitress say something to the effect of "There's your boy" one time when I was coming back to the clubhouse for dinner after playing a round.

We've exchanged flirty comments back and forth. I understand why she might be flirting (for the sake of it, just doing her job, etc.), but she's got me a little confused.

I don't have a lot of experience when it comes to relationships, so I could be overthinking the whole situation for all I know. Is she just being flirty to be flirty, or is there a reason beyond it that I'm not picking up? And, if she does like me, how could I tell if she wanted to be with me despite already having a boyfriend?

I play in a golf league at a local golf course. There's a waitress who, I'm pretty sure, is interested in me.

She was there last spring and summer as well, and I caught her looking over at me from time to time. When I would look at her, she would usually look away. We occasionally exchanged flirty banter as well, but it went no further than that.

I found out last week that she's there again, and after the round (but before my group finished up), she asked some friends about me - my age, if I was in college, etc.

Is she interested in me like I think she is?

just bought a Samsung 5000 series LED TV (22 inch) for my dorm. I'm trying to hook up my PS3 using the AV cord that the TV came with, and I'm not sure what cords go with what connections. I'm guessing the green cable w/ yellow tip goes w/ the PS3's yellow cable and white-white. As for the two red cables, I'm not sure if the PS3's red cable goes with the red cable on the left (video) or right (audio) for the TV. Thanks for the help - much appreciated!

I have been friends with a girl pretty much the whole school year. We have been in two classes together over the year, one this semester and one last semester. In the class we had together last semester, I frequently caught her looking back at me (I sat a row behind her), and in the class this semester I caught her looking at me out of the corner of my eye (we sat across from each other a couple rows). I had developed some feelings for her in this time, and I had told her about them. However, my timing wasn't good, as she had recently gotten out of a relationship. She said that she just wanted to be friends, and I told her I understood and respected her decision.

Even after that, though, I would catch her staring at me. I wasn't sure if she had feelings for me too, at this point, or if the whole thing had just become a habit. I'm sure that I should treat it like it's no big deal, because I'm guessing it's a habit, but could I be wrong? Any ideas? Thanks.

I have been friends with a girl pretty much the whole school year. We have been in two classes together over the year, one this semester and one last semester. In the class we had together last semester, I frequently caught her looking back at me (I sat a row behind her), and in the class this semester I caught her looking at me out of the corner of my eye (we sat across from each other a couple rows). I had developed some feelings for her in this time, and I had told her about them. However, my timing wasn't good, as she had recently gotten out of a relationship. She said that she just wanted to be friends, and I told her I understood and respected her decision. Even after that, though, I would catch her staring at me. I wasn't sure if she had feelings for me too, at this point, or if the whole thing had just become a habit. Any ideas? Thanks.

I am a freshman in college, and despite three or four attempts between HS and this year, have been unable to get a girlfriend. I am a very nice guy and don't judge other people because I have a physical disability and know what it's like. I am very sarcastic and like making people laugh. But it seems that every time I tell a girl that I like her, she responds that she just wants to be friends.

I don't really have a 'bad' side. I don't smoke or drink. I never went to a high school party because getting drunk for fun never appealed to me.

How can I break out from the 'friend zone'?

There's a girl that goes to my school that I'm good friends with. She's been very outgoing with me, constantly joking around with me, telling me her problems and the like. I told her last week that I liked her but was perfectly fine just being friends with her, and she said she just wanted to be friends. Since then, she's almost given me the cold shoulder, hardly talking to me at all, not texting me back, etc. We both know that we just want to be friends, and I have no problem with it. I'm not really getting why she has decided to give me the cold shoulder though...

Back in January, a good friend of mine committed suicide. It was a total shock, because he was a great person who was very outgoing and had a lot going for him. I haven't dealt with death much outside of grandparents who died when I was younger, and needless to say, I have had a hard time dealing with it.

The night before he died, I had a dream with him in it and woke up in fear, like something bad was about to happen to him. I almost texted him at 11:30 that night (when I woke up) to say what I was feeling, but didn't. And I hadn't seen him in roughly six months. By the time I remembered about it the next day, he'd committed suicide.

I have been pretty depressed since then. I know that there was nothing I could do, but the dream and feeling after it still haunt me. I have had a rough year in college even before my friend's suicide, almost getting addicted to painkillers and being depressed before it happened, and having suicidal thoughts myself. His death just made it all worse. I am now down to my last couple weeks of school with no energy whatsoever.

How can I cope? I've talked to friends and family about it, but it doesn't seem to be doing much good. Like I said before, I am not used to dealing with death. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I am thinking about transferring colleges after this year. I currently go to a small Christian school with a Mass Communications/Public Relations major. I was considering transferring to a bigger school and going with a Journalism major (which is the one I really wanted, but the school I'm currently at doesn't offer it).

I'm feeling a little torn about the idea, mainly because of the friends I have made. When it comes to the future, I think changing schools is the better thing to do. I have been going back and forth on it for quite a while, and just when I thought transferring seemed like the better thing to do, I'm starting to go the other direction.

What's the better move to make?

I am a college freshman, and I am conflicted with the school I am currently at. I don't feel like it is the right place academically. But, I've gone through some rough times in the last few months (such as the suicide of a close friend from high school) and have had a lot of support from friends I've made. Part of me doesn't want to leave, but part of me wants to bolt out the door and never come back. What's the best thing to do: stay for the friends or leave for the schooling?

The only girl I've ever had feelings for rejected me last night. We're both freshmen in college, going to schools about a half-hour apart. I've had these feelings for her since my junior year in HS. I finally told her last night. She was out of my league anyway, and she told me that she never thought of me as more than a friend. I knew that she would say that, and it would've been true two years ago too. As you can expect, I'm not dealing with very well. I'd tried hard to move on from that long before I told her how I felt, but it didn't work. Now it feels impossible.

I've always kind of seen myself as someone who isn't really meant to be in a relationship. At the same time, I've had the worst six months that someone could ever have. I have had a rough transition to college, among several other things. I almost feel desperate, but at the same time, I'm not sure what to do about it. Any tips? Thanks.

I'm 18 and I started college a couple of months ago. I've never been in a relationship. I'll admit that I'm a bit of a loner, and I'm mostly okay with that. I'm an only child, so I'm used to being on the lonely side. I've never really considered trying getting in a relationship either.

Right now, I'm a little bit annoyed. Part of me is okay with being single, but another part of me isn't, and I'm not really all that sure what to do. Any tips? Thanks.

I'm 18 and I started college a month ago. I've never been in a relationship. I'll admit that I'm a bit of a loner, and I'm mostly okay with that. I'm an only child, so I'm used to being on the lonely side. I've never really considered trying getting in a relationship either.

Right now, I'm a little bit annoyed. Part of me is okay with being single, but another part of me isn't, and I'm not really all that sure what to do. Any tips? Thanks.

my main screen on my samsung phone is mostly white, but my front screen (the one you see when the phone is closed) works just fine. i am going to get a new phone before long, but is there any quick troubleshooting i can do for the time being?

I have a sore elbow that appeared out of nowhere. Woke up with it one morning and it's really bothering me. My left elbow is the one that's sore, and I happen to have a mild case of cerebral palsy on my left side. Naturally because of my CP, I can't use my left arm very much. I don't know if I slept on it funny or did something to it without realizing it. Should I have any cause for concern?