Love Cafe Q&A

Is this considered a long-term relationship?

July 13, 2014
My boyfriend and I have been officially dating for almost a year. He goes away for 3 weeks to go on vacation with his family to China. When I saw him right when he came back, I looked through pictures of their trip and his mom told me, “half of China knows who you are because he told everyone that he had a girlfriend who was from Hong Kong.” I feel really flattered and proud to be his girlfriend. Should I take that as a signal that our relationship will go long-term?

How do I avoid the "friend zone?"

July 17, 2014
Is there a window of opportunity to ask a girl on a date before they put you in the friend zone? I’ve never actually been on a date with a girl before, because I want to be friends/talk to them for a while to get to know them a little bit before working up the courage to ask them out. However, they usually end up saying they only think of me as a friend when I ask them eventually. Am I approaching this the right way or should I ask them out before we establish too much of a connection or what?

I'm shy and having trouble asking someone out

July 18, 2014
I’m shy and I’m having trouble asking people out. What advice can you give me to ask this cute guy out I like?

I'm dry in the bedroom - what do I do?

August 3, 2014
Since going on the pill a few months ago, my vagina seems to have forgotten how to lubricate itself. My SO doesn't have a problem with it, but it makes me self-conscious about sex. What can I do?

I have a smelly roommate

July 21, 2014
My roommate goes out partying/drinking and comes back late and just goes to bed without showering or changing and she stinks up the whole room because of it (she goes partying days at a time then wakes up early to go to class so she goes days without showering). Is there a nicer way to say “You stink, please shower at least once a day?”

Finding love...what's the secret?

February 23, 2018
​How do you find love, in general?

Roommates on Opposite Schedules

January 26, 2018
This semester I have 8 a.m. classes and have to get up pretty early to make it on time. My roommate is a night owl and often up until 4 am. I know he's trying to be as quiet as he can be, but I still get woken up at least once a night. What are some tips on living in a double with someone who has an opposite schedule? Should I talk to him about it?

My Parents Will Freak Out Over My Grade

June 16, 2017
My life sucks! I’ve been working so hard at Cal, and my parents don’t understand this isn’t high school anymore. In high school, I took hard classes, but there wasn’t nearly as much competition as here at Berkeley. They just don’t understand that I can’t get straight As anymore. They’re going to freak out if they ever see my report cards. Can I make it so they can’t see my grades? I don’t want to lie to them! Help me, please.

Showing Parents Some Appreciation

May 5, 2017
"My parents have been super supportive over the last 5 years. I'm graduating this May but am broke and exhausted. What are some ways that I can still show them appreciation?"

What exactly is a casual relationship?

February 17, 2017
So, in my opinion, the term “casual” is supposed to be open to interpretation, much like a casual relationship is. It can mean a plethora of things, but generally, the term casual is used to refer to something that’s low-commitment and freer of expectations than a monogamous relationship. I think when defining a “casual” relationship with a partner, it is important to clarify expectations in order to avoid misunderstandings that can breed resentment.