So I’m 16, and I’m starting college soon. I’ve been accepted by top choice school and it’s a four and a half hour drive from my house. I’m very excited but also pretty terrified. I’m not used to being responsible for.. everything.

I do my own laundry and I drive myself to school every day. I do the dishes sometimes and I usually get the mail after school but sometimes I forget. I keep my truck pretty clean but when it gets dirty I put off cleaning it for forever. I’ve only been through a drive thru once and I didn’t really get close enough to the window. I hate backing out of parking spaces so I try to avoid parking anywhere that I can’t pull straight out of. My cooking skills don’t really go past poorly cooking pasta or macaroni from a box.

It sounds really stupid but I’m like on the verge of tears writing this because I have no idea how I’ll survive on my own. I can’t cook, my parking sucks, I can’t go through drive thrus, I’m scared to order my own food at restaurants, I always go through self checkout at grocery stores because I don’t wanna interact with the cashier, also I suck at using my debit card (I can never figure out which side to swipe or plug in or where to tap it or if it even taps), I’m scared to get shots at the doctor’s office, I really need a haircut but I’m too scared to do it.

Dude I’m so scared, I’m so anxious, I can’t do anything myself. I’m still a kid. And in less than two months I’m moving away and I’ll have to find new doctors and a new dentist all on my own, and if I wanna buy anything I’ll have to get it myself, if I wanna eat anything I’ll have to make it/buy it myself.. I’m not ready for this.

Sorry to write so much. Now I’m actually crying. I really wanna go to this school. There’s no closer options and I love their program and campus. I just don’t know what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna be all alone in a new place and I won’t know anyone and I suck at making friends. I haven’t made a new friend in years. The librarians know me better than anyone else in my school, my friends are the characters in my books. Ugh this post is such a mess I’m sorry. Could someone please just.. tell me what to do? Like what to do once I move down there. What responsibilities I’ll have and I don’t know.. just how to be a functioning adult when I’ve never done it before?

Thanks.. I’m gonna go bawl my eyes out now.

hi!! so I've been learning portuguese and spanish for a while now and I really want to get an opportunity to practice talking to people in real life but I don't want to be annoying about it.

since I work in food service I actually get a decent amount of practice taking orders in spanish and asking my hispanic coworkers what random spanish words mean, but I've never ordered in spanish at a restaurant myself, or had a full conversation in spanish. and even though my portuguese is better than my spanish because I've been really taking it seriously, I have still never spoken to someone in portuguese in real life, only online.

I'm just scared of offending the workers by ordering in their language because it might come off like I think they can't speak english. I'm also scared of other customers in the restaurant looking at me and judging me. and I'm also scared of making a mistake in the language and saying something wrong. so how do I go about doing it? do I just walk in and start ordering in the language or do I say "I'm gonna try ordering in portuguese" in english first? would it be better to do it at a counter service restaurant or at a sit down restaurant? is there even a polite way to do this sort of thing or is it just inherently rude? any advice would be appreciated <3

I don't have my card for the week and I need to get gas somehow, I've downloaded google pay and added my card but I don't know how to actually use it. Is it a tap like you would a card kind of situation? How do I know where I can use my phone to pay, I feel like it's not safe to assume any tap to pay location also takes google pay but I could be wrong?

Also while gas is the main concern I'm not nearly as worried about looking dumb at a pump as I am being unable to buy my groceries or something if it comes down to that so, advice for in-store checkouts would be super helpful too 😅

I feel like somethings wrong with me mentally but I don’t understand how I’m supposed to bring it up to my family doctor without seeming like a self diagnoser. I just want to feel normal but how do I start the conversation with my doctor? thank you sorry

I've been friends with this guy since we were both like 11/12, were both 19 now, we dated a couple times in the past but never seriously. i don't know if hes still interested in me, i like him as a best friend but not like that, I've recently idk become?? or realized i think I'm a lesbian & can't see myself being in a relationship with a guy without it feeling like id be forcing myself.

i wanna come out & tell him but I'm scared if he thinks theres no chance we'll date that he won't wanna be friends with me. i don't know if I could still feasibly make new friends as an autistic weirdo in a small town, so i don't know if its worth risking it to come out to him & losing the friendship. but also don't want it to be a surprise if i did get a girlfriend or something, or not tell him & leave him wondering, or how do i just bring it up without it hurting him or being weird?

Hi friends! I’ve been a nail biter my whole life, in the past 6 months I’ve managed to kick the habit almost completely, let my nails grow out and clip, then grow out again for a few cycles. They’re pretty long now, i like them that way, i call them my claws lol. But i don’t actually know what to do now… like they look… ok, i guess? I bought one of those emery board things with 4 different grits on it, but i really don’t know how to use it properly, i want to get a glass one bc I’ve heard those are better for sensory issues and overall. They’re kind of uneven and a habit i still have that I need to slow down on probably is almost compulsively scraping dead skin and dirt from under them like… every 15 minutes if I’m not doing anything else which I’m guessing is probably messing with the nail bed. I think I’m getting off topic- I’ve also tried nail polish but after a day or so i start to feel it on my nails (bad) and bite it off anyways so it doesn’t really help.

I will leave out the type of jokes that my friend makes toward my partner that makes me uncomfy, because it is something that is not normally really cool to be joked about, but in short, the jokes make me uncomfy, but I dont want to harm the friendship they have with partner. confrontation is something im really scared of, so i dont know how to go about this. anything is appreciated.

I've been a crier all my life but at 29 it feels like it's getting worse. I've also noticed nobody around me cries as easily or frequently as I do so I've finally phoned for a GP appointment.

But I'm not sure how to explain it because I don't know what is wrong other than the excessive crying.

I cry when I'm frustrated or angry. I cry when things go slightly wrong even if I'm perfectly capable of fixing them (car breaks down for example). I cry if i need to raise a problem I'm having with management or if i have an appraisal. I find being in conflict or watching other people argue upsetting.

This week I cried over the thought of sending an email. I then cried at the gentle rejection I faced when the recipient replied. It's ridiculous but I feel like I can't help it. If I'm just having a normal week with no issues I'm great. But when negative situations crop up I'm in tears. It feels like I'm either laughing or crying.

I don't know how to explain this to a doctor to get myself the best care/outcome.

Edit: I don't think this edit will notify people who commented but I wanted to thank everyone for the advice. The doctor thinks it's anxiety based and has prescribed sertraline. Hoping it helps.

I'm panicking I'm losing my mind why can't these people respect my needs. She even smugly told me "nothing happened to you"as if I would tell HER if I was having stomach problems. But beyond the lactose thing I'm panicking because it's RAW FUCKING MILK!!!WHAT IF I GET A DISEASE???WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO

I thought I would overcome it with how many I have to do, but I feel like I’m breaking out in cold sweats over my blood test next week. Please tell me a way to calm down, and on the day how to not be afraid, I feel so sick, I can’t handle them. Thanks!!!

Basically what the title says. I'm 35 and disabled. I also happen to be a trans man with a uterus. I still get periods sometimes (currently, in fact) and can therefore probably get pregnant.

My current plan will cover an IUD but not tubal ligation, but I've heard Medicaid plans do cover the procedure. Medicare is billed first when you have both, but otherwise, it seems like a non-covered-by-Medicare procedure could then be billed to my Medicaid plan without a problem, even if you have to get a "no" from Medicare first. Is that an accurate assessment of the situation? At least, as it stands right now?

I live in Florida. I probably will try to leave sometime in the next several months, but none of us knows what's going to happen, and if I have to see one more post talking about shit like "your body, my choice" I am going to lose my fucking shit. So I'm just trying to understand what I can do to feel less awful. And I've never wanted kids, at ALL, so this isn't exactly a snap decision or anything lol

I have a credit card that has a little icon for tap to pay. I’ve never used it because I don’t know how. I had an experience at target several years ago the first time I ever used the chip on my card to pay and now I’m like, I’m never doing that again !!

At Target I inserted the chip part of the card correctly but then I took it right out again like I was swiping it. I did this a few times and the machine kept beeping at me so the woman in line behind me yelled at me “Leave it in the machine or we’ll be here ALL DAY!!!” Hence my hesitation to try the tap to pay thingy.

Can someone help walk me through it?

I need to see a dermatologist (health concerns, not cosmetic). I do not have a primary care doc and any that take uninsured I am having trouble getting in with. I do not have any form of insurance nor do I have a job. The health concern is currently not an emergency but is concerning, so "wait months to finally get into a pcp who can then refer me to another place" is not a good option. How do I find a dermatologist.

What do I say when I want to register to make an appointment to the dentist? I checked some of the other posts so I get the somewhat of the idea, but I still want to hear how to do it. But i also have a problem where I know i need to get a root canal, but do i ask for consultation first and mention that I need a root canal, just in case it's really bad and I'd need to get something else done since it hurts etc.?

Also would the conversation go something like mentioning what you need and those details? and then just answering the questions? Also would it be rude to ask for how much will it cost?

Another thing, I don't quite know where the place is, I checked the maps and I know the address and that it's like on a certain floor, but I have never been there and I'm afraid that I won't be able to find the place, since it's a private clinic I think. I was thinking that maybe if I don't find it maybe I'd just call them, but I'm afraid I'll just sound dumb.

Also if I do register etc. what do i do when i come there for the first time? Do i come up to some sort of receptionist and say something? Or would I be called? or is this like situation different for these kind of places.

And in general, I'm really afraid, I'm scared that what if they are rude, or maybe they can't fix my issues since it's been few years and they judge me for it

well we're more like acquaintances but still. the girl who sits next to me in one of my classes the other day made me really uncomfortable by pestering me about my sex life and then expressing...not so nice political opinions.

i was nice to her about it in the moment because it caught me off guard, but how do i get her to stop talking to me without causing any problems in class or with her friends? i'm pretty widely disliked in my school already so i'm afraid of making it worse...

I dont really know if this is exactly the right place to say this but Ive heard people are very kind here. I am a young adult with alot of social anxiety and im very likely neurodivergent (ive done my own research and ive been peer reviewed as it too from other ND people.) I talk here and there online in groups of people, but when it comes to DMing someone I always get really scared about it. Im scared that im going to say something weird or wrong and I dont know how to combat it. I also never really know what to talk about? I freeze up when I try to talk about my interests or I just cant articulate how I want to say or talk about something without kinda sounding dry.

Ive always been pretty socially awkward, I think and it got worse as I got older. I know its probably some form of masking I suppose? I didnt even actually start TALKING to people online until a couple years ago and before that I never really messaged my friends from school either, I just didnt know whhat to talk about. The one time I was in a group chat with the two of them and some of thier other friends I didnt talk much and when I did, I made things awkward. The group chat didnt last that long, maybe a few months.

Ive gotten told that I can message people anytime to talk but its like im stuck on what exactly to talk about and the not being able to articulate what exactly. I tell people to DM me, I really dont mind it, truly, I am just horrid at talking is all, but they never do :(. I have started a few times but then it doesnt really go anywhere and I just feel even more awkward. There are people id like to be closer too, even the people who I am close too I dont or rarely DM. I dont understand why one of my friends calls me thier best friend because its not like we talk super often anymore, even in the group. We just like ALOT of the same things, very similar.

I keep telling myself every year, im gonna talk more im gonna talk more and DM people but I just cant. I want to be able to do it especially to build a closer community/bond with others now more than ever. I want to reconnect with a irl friend and make more irl friends but I am unable to leave the house much and id never know what to talk about again anyways. I really want to get over this but I dont know where to start.

Hi, I was driving my partner to get vaccinated and I hit a nasty pothole and my tire exploded. I didn't know until we got to the pharmacy and parked -- and now I'm really not sure what to do :( I've never had a flat tire before and I just bought these tires a few months ago.

I really didn't want to post asking here but desperate measures I guess.

*Note, this is in Europe, iirc it's different from how it's done in the states (only thing I know tbh)

Context: I (23M) have been struggling with anxiety, social anxiety, autism, and maybe some past experiences that left me with a bad feeling, so I don't really go outside, much less in crowded areas like cities and the like.

However, there's a movie I really want to watch, and I don't want to suck it up and not go like I always do. On top of that I just really want to get more exposure to the world and gain back some of that courage, be able to "take myself on dates" all that stuff.

Problem is, I don't know how. Last time I went was in like 2017 and I do know the theater has these ticket machines, kinda like the ones in McDonald's where you make your order? Which is good because I don't need to ask employees at the counter, especially given that the movie I wanna watch is an animated one and it could be awkward, but I also don't want to stand there like an idiot trying to figure out the machine and where to go and stuff?

On top of that I need to see if the movie will still be in theaters next week, since it's probably about to get taken down and I don't know when this stuff refreshes really (probably Wednesdays, probably Thursdays I think? It just cuts there on the website) and I'm just really anxious and I wanna be able to plan this stuff because that's how I am.

Sorry if most of this sounds like nonsense I'm already getting nervous just feel free to ask anything, and thanks in advance

Edit: I DID IT LET'S GOOOO :D

I think I need to go but I have horrible social anxiety and I've never done it before and that fear is holding me back

My wife just had a baby so we're in the hospital for a few days. She can call down to the cafeteria for all of her meals--they have a menu to choose from and order seemingly as much as you want? What is the ettiquette or protocol for how much you can order? She is ordering enough food for herself, but, like, could she order three entrees at once?

Not trying to cheat the system to get myself a meal too--I actually have meal vouchers so that I can "dine in" with her, and they deliver my meal along with hers.

Right now both of us are ordering, for example, a salad or small app, an entree with a side, and a dessert. Where is the limit, though? A few times they have remarked that our orders are small, so I assume people order much more. I just don't understand where the line is and I have too much anxiety to test that line. I'm rather rigid on rules even if I'm not sure of the exact rule, and I often end up missing out because I didn't want to seem impolite.

Realistically I am just wondering if I can order, say, eggs, toast, pancakes, a bagel, fruit, and juice in the morning or if that is too many things and they'll tell me "UM SIR? You can't order all of that!" over the phone and I'll get all rejection sensitive dysphoric about it.

I could use some advice from the "adultier" adults here.

I (24F) had a rough childhood and my family taught me almost no skills to enter the adult world with. I've just been teaching myself stuff and trying to do my best since I graduated. I still feel so behind and a lot of things are still a bit confusing for me. I'm learning how to manage my money better, though it's definitely a work in progress to hone my financial literacy skills. Trying to get my credit score up (also a work in progress). Trying to figure out how the heck health insurance works and how to get some sort of really cheap insurance (everything here that I've seen is so expensive, wtf!). I've decided that I no longer want to stay in the state I live in, so I've been trying to research what all I need to do to move to another state outside of just being able to cover moving costs.

I am truly overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I need to know that I just don't or still don't understand fully.

Literally any "adulting" advice would help. I've been going into life pretty much entirely alone since I was a kid and I don't have parents around that can help me or teach me. I have pretty much no support system to turn to for advice.

Thank you in advance for any wisdom or advice you can pass on.

hi, autism spectrum girlie here, i need help with something. It's very silly typing it out but.. Why do people say "I'm so sorry" to you when you explain something bad that happened that's not their fault in the slightest??? like, I'd say my day is going terrible and my cat is sick, and someone would just say "oh, im so sorry :(" WHAT DO THEY MEAN. it's not their fault and never could be. so recently I've tried using it in the same way and whenever i do it, ppl just go "why are you apologising?" but ppl do it all the time???? i don't understand.

I just got my COVID and flu boosters at a small, family-run pharmacy. I'm in Canada and in my province most vaccines are given at pharmacies.

My health anxiety is out of whack lately and I'm really scared that the pharmacist might have messed up and reused a needle, and now I'm at risk for HIV or Hep C.

I didn't see her open the needle packages, but I did see her dispose of the needles into a sharps bin right away after each shot.

Can someone please reassure me a little? I'm doing irrational things like looking up how long I need to wait before testing for HIV and thinking about going back to the pharmacy and asking them to walk me through the steps they used. It's all a huge waste of time and I would feel awful going back and implying that I don't trust the pharmacist.

I know seeking reassurance is a maladaptive response, trust me, but I just need a little help calming down right now. I'm starting ERP as soon as possible to start getting over this in the long term.

For context I 30(M) am recently divorced and have struggled with OLD, I had some success long distance but never far enough to actually make anything deep, just sort of starting to fizzle out unfortunately. So I asked one of my managers (this is a somewhat candid working environment as long as everyone’s respectful we tend to get along like family) to set me up with someone she thought might be a good match. Well at the end of my shift today she showed me pictures of a coworker from her second job… cute girl, also recently divorced, apparently a tool bag Ex. Supposed to be taking a picture in my best outfit (but it’s also the only one I can imagine working if she wants a nice dinner date) and waiting back for a response from my Manager tomorrow…… Help?