I have a crush on a girl at the law school.  And I think she might be interested in me too - I mean, come on, look at me.  I am really smart and I totally rocked my oral arguments this year; but whenever I talk to her things are horribly awkward between us.  What is going wrong?

Forlorn in the Reading Room

Dear Forlorn,

From your words, I see that Queen Awk hath been with you.  She descends upon many a law student, breathing in nightmares of B's and typos on memos.  This cruel, invisible queen rides around in a tiny carriage of lost power chords past and delights in the neuroses that waft up from the Hard Lounge.  She especially loves finding two star-cross'd law students and whispering harmful directions into their ears: "Say inappropriate things about women only you find funny," "Stare right at her face and don't blink the whole time you are talking," or "Start blushing and stuttering every time you talk."

There is not much you can do when such potent awkwardness is involved.  But try not to see it as a bad thing.  Awkwardness in romance means that there is nervousness and uncertainty; another form, I think, of appreciation and respect.  So don't fight the Awk.  You won't win.  Just start getting used to it.

Sincerely,

Yunji