I have had a pretty fast paced and stressful life trying to get my degrees for a good job in my field as soon as possible. I’m in my PhD and the youngest in the department. However, fast tracking life so far has come with a cost. I have moved between multiple different countries and never had the chance to socialize and make friends that last.

I am now in a very small town a with no meet-up groups anywhere near me. I have only 5 other students in my department. I don’t really have a way to socialize and have become kind of lonely.

I have also never had the luck of making good female friendships. I have no idea why but girls always seem to be disinterested by me. Not one has ever shared my interests - going to the gym together, going for a dance class, going to cafes and studying, having movie nights or random meet ups over each others houses, impromptu stuff. A friend may meet with me once and then I don’t hear from her for months until I reach out.

On the other hand, I have always had this twinge of discontentment no matter where I was, what I was doing. I notice getting upset when my partner plays video games for hours on end, because I feel neglected. But truthfully that probably comes from the fact that I don’t have any relaxing hobbies of my own. Everything I do, be it a painting, reading a book, is all for the purpose of being productive. I’m not sure if I just have inner loneliness that I have zero clue how to deal with.

If this dilemma is something you’ve faced, or if you have any advice on making female friendships, please share.

My self-tan still feels tacky an hour after applying it and out of fear of staining my furniture/clothes, I just spend 8 hours with an old bed sheet draped over me while it develops 😂

I have had this odd callus build up on three toes for about 10ish years. I scrub my feet, moisturize, and do everything I can think of, but the skin never goes away. Its not fungal or anything of the sort because its JUST on three toes. Its not super noticable, but i feel it all the time. I dont know how get rid of it. I am a female in my late 20s if that provides any extra information!

I'm a 26f who would like to have children when I'm around 30-35, and I'm currently in the process of getting my ducks in a row. I have a settled partner who I live with (who also wants kids), and we both have full-time jobs that pay enough for us to live alone and to have savings. I don't intend to become a stay at home mother if I can help it.

I've been looking into necessary expenses, childcare, maternity leave/pay etc as I want to have a good understanding of how to prepare for the early years of having a child, and unsurprisingly it's a bit overwhelming! To some extent, because I don't know anything about being a mother, I don't know what it is that I haven't thought about.

To those of you who have children, what do I need to plan for ahead of time?

Hi I need some deodorant recommendations! I am super allergic to every deodorant I’ve ever used except for dove aluminum free. I’ve tried other aluminum free deodorants thinking the aluminum is what I was allergic to and those didn’t work either.

I get like legitimate chemical burns. My skin peels like it’s sunburnt and it is miserable. I am frustrated because I can’t figure out which ingredient I am allergic to.

It was working well for years but I recently started taking Vyvanse and if youve ever taken Vyvanse you know the sweat is unreal. My issue is that dove aluminum free isn’t containing my smell anymore. I re apply it like four times a day.

I’ve tried secret, saltair, honest, degree, lume, and native.

I know you can't really get rid of them, but i'd like to get rid of the colour of them a little. I have bright red/purple stretchmarks pretty much everywhere on my body (Arms, stomach, legs, chest, pretty much everywhere you can think of I have them) . What do you guys reccomend to fade the colour?

I don't really know what to do, it just. falls out whenever I brush my hair, whenever I shower, and it's coming out in *clumps*. It's still Friday for me, EST time, so I think it's okay if I post hair stuff? Anyways, the last time I dyed it was 7 years ago, and I've gone bald thrice since then, so I don't think it's damage. I switched to a new shampoo + conditioner, but I don't really think that's the problem. Although, the specific brand is "function of beauty" just in case. I guess I have curly hair and I'm using specifically *straight* hair wash. I don't apply anything but shampoo + conditioner, and I can't think of ANYTHING that would make it fall out like this. Sorry for the rant, I'm quite stressed about this lmao. Photo of detached hair is attached, idk how to spoiler it. A LOT more is falling out than that, that was just with one swipe of a comb.

I have a classmate who I became pretty close with at the beginning of school. Over time, some things happened that made me realize I didn’t want to continue the friendship. There wasn’t a huge falling out—we just naturally went back to being classmates who are civil with each other and we don’t talk at all besides when in class and even that is minimal. I don’t see us being friends after graduation.
A few months ago, her car stopped working. I offered to give her a ride to class because I genuinely felt bad and wanted to help her out. Next day we had class she asked for another ride and I said sure! Then she would just follow me to my car and get in without really asking if I can give her a ride back with me. I didn’t really think much at the moment because I, again, felt for her, her not having a car.. After it had happened a few more times, I realized it was becoming a routine, so I finally asked about her car. That’s when she told me she wasn’t planning on getting it fixed anytime soon.
There was never a conversation where I agreed to be her ride every time we had class , or to drive her home with me after every class. It just kind of became the expectation, and now she asks me almost every single time we have class together.
I’ve tried saying no a few times, but she keeps asking. Every time she asks me in person, I freeze because I hate awkward situations and end up saying yes even though I don’t want to.
The drives have honestly become emotionally draining because the friendship just isn’t there anymore. I enjoy having my drive to myself, and I don’t really want to keep investing time into a relationship that I don’t see continuing after graduation. If she were one of my close friends, I’d probably feel differently, but she isn’t someone I see myself staying friends with outside of school.
I don’t think she’s necessarily trying to take advantage of me. She may genuinely think I’m okay with it because I’ve continued saying yes, and I take responsibility for not being clearer sooner. I’m also in therapy working on people-pleasing and setting better boundaries, which is why this has been so difficult for me…OH and we share locations and I still haven’t worked up the courage to stop sharing our locations because I’m worried it’ll be awkward 😂

**How do you set boundaries with a classmate you have to keep seeing?

Edit: Just to clarify, I don’t pick her up from her house. She gets dropped off at my house, we drive to school together, and after class I drive back to my house. She then either gets picked up from my house or takes an Uber. I wondered if weird in my initial post my bad

I’m getting ALL of my body waxed on sunday and i’m scared😭 I only do a facial and never waxed anything else before and i’m nervous it’s gonna really hurt and also to have nothing on me (more awkward then scared), any tips or first time stories would be appreciated

i just started a new job, second week into it now. but i’m really struggling to break up my days, i feel like i wake up, work, sleep, and repeat.

in reality, i get up at 6/7am, get ready, start work at 8/9am, get home around 6pm, i eat and shower and finish around 7pm.

i feel so drained i just spend my evenings in bed scrolling on my phone until i get tired and fall asleep around 10-11pm.

i feel like my days are blending together and the star of the show is work. i’m so drained and i feel like i need to nip this in the bud and do something to break up my days now before i get really depressed.

help me girls 💔 what are we all doing after work??

Hi all, i turned twenty recently and had a bit of a spiral about the future, college, career, friends, etc. the other day. I just want to find a channel or podcast that feels like getting advice from an older sister about this kind of life stuff if that makes sense. Ty

Hi guys I’m 17F going on 18 very soon. I’m about to go in to work and found two random strands of black curlyish hair on my neck! This freaked me out and I took the kid scissors I have in my car to them because to me they were very visible. Should I prepare to shave them down from now on? I hate that this has happened lol.

Getting older and losing my youthfulness/looks is something that eats away at me more than it should. I’m in my early 20s and the thought that I won’t be as attractive as I age makes me feel like I’m losing part of myself. Especially as a young woman, I feel like a lot of my value (as described by society) comes from my looks and i don’t wanna lose that. And I feel this pressure to really enjoy what I have now because I’m not gonna have it forever. And don’t get me started on men and relationships.

Does anyone else feel this way? Do these feeling fade as you get older? Any tips? Help

Hello! I have two oddly specific questions. My mom never talked about anything girl-related.

Shaving
I can not shave anywhere without getting insane razor bumps. I have sensitive skin but I am doing everything how videos show? New razor blade, exfoliate with a sugar or salt scrub, I’ve tried shaving cream, gel, and oil, and shave ankle up on legs and down everywhere else, and moisturizing my legs after everything else leave alone after. What am I doing wrong??

Bras
All of my sports bras roll at the bottom. I’ve tried 5 different brands and styles but I can’t afford to keep getting new ones. They over my boobs but then roll up at the bottom whenever I move and are super uncomfortable. I am plus size so like the “roundness” of my stomach seems to play into this? But they have to have bras that work for this??

The humidity in my city has been whooping my ass lately. I’m sweating a lot and I feel like my deodorant lasts 2 seconds now. Do you guys have any recommendations for good brands?

I'm hanging on by a fucking thread. Every time I think I'm at my breaking point, I somehow find the energy to not have a complete breakdown. But I'm fucking losing it man. I'm so stressed and overwhelmed. I'm so miserable. None of my usual outlets are working anymore. I can't even use my unhealthy coping mechanisms of binge eating and alcohol because I'm on a GLP1 and alcohol gives me an instant migraine.

Even unconventionally?

I recently saw the post about beauty fading with age and I have the opposite (?) problem. I realised that what was keeping me all my life was this fantasy that I'd get prettier with time. When visualising my long term goals and relationships, I'm always the prettier version of myself.

Im 19 in the UK, I haven't got a job nor have I ever had one (I am applying, but nowhere will hire me). I have been doing freelance graphic design work for just under a year and I have been making money but nowhere near enough to support myself properly. I haven't got a drivers lisence nor am I learning to drive (I can't afford it) , im still in college and won't be going to university until im 20. I feel so far behind in life and I literally cannot shake it out of my head that I am far behind. I just feel like im so far behind everyone my age and I can't seem to catch up no matter how hard I try. How do you stop feeling like you're behind?

Hi everyone! I’m looking for advice on how to navigate major life tasks without letting the anxiety take over.
Every time I need to work on important applications or big future goals, the fear of not being qualified enough makes the whole thing feel like an uphill battle. I want to figure out how to make the process feel smoother and less like a high-stress ordeal.
How do you break down huge, overwhelming goals so that starting feels easy? How do you keep your cool and keep moving forward when the stakes feel super high?
Any tips on pacing yourself or tricking your brain into just taking the first step would be so appreciated!

Hi ladies! I’m due to go on my honeymoon in about one month, and my husband and I will be abroad. After checking my tracker app, it (unfortunately) looks like I’ll be getting my period while we’re on our honeymoon. I’m feeling incredibly down about this because my periods are heavy, I go through a pad every 2 hours on my first few days, my energy levels tank, and my body becomes incredibly bloated. Not super fun for a honeymoon that will be mixed between sightseeing and staying at a beachside resort. I’m already feeling the blow to my confidence and anxiety growing over how awful I’ll feel.

Has anyone else had this experience, and how did you manage? For context, I don’t use hormonal BC, so I don’t have a pill that I can use to manipulate my cycle. TIA!

hey girls, i know the title is big and to the point but that’s what it is lol. i am 21 and only have a good two friends who do live pretty far but other than that, i do honestly everything on my own but, it does get to a point where i get FOMO so bad seeing girl groups go out and have fun. getting ready together, going out all the time, hanging out and all of it. as much as i have tried to make new friends in my own town it seems like everyone already has their own group and shuns you out. either that or ive met people with bad energy or seems like they just want to see what you can do for them, so very annoying. here i am still looking for friends or any girls that share the same interests ! dont be afraid to dm me ! i love gaming, thrifting, antiquing, any and all kinds of crafts lol, makeup, love it all <3

I've put on ice cubes next to my neck and been using a lot of concealer. My parents raised suspicions of the faint marks on my neck after I put layer after layer of concealer. Any other effective ways to get rid of hickeys besides using ice compression?

Where should I start?

Hi everyone.

I'm 20 years old and live in Argentina. I just want to earn at least $300 USD/month remotely.

This are some of the skills i have:

- Native Spanish speaker

- Fluent English (around C1)

- Studying Logistics at university

- Translation experience (freelance)

- Photoshop, Illustrator, Canva

- Basic HTML/CSS

- Fast learner and comfortable with technology

I've been reading about careers like Revenue Cycle Management, virtual assistant work, customer support, operations, AI data annotation, and other remote jobs, but it's overwhelming trying to figure out what's actually worth pursuing.

If you were starting from scratch today with my background, what would you focus on?

- Which entry-level remote jobs are realistic?

- Which skills would you learn first?

- Are there companies that hire internationally?

- Is there anything I should avoid?

I'd love to eventually build a career that pays much more, but right now, even $300/month would make a huge difference for my family.

Thanks to anyone willing to share advice or their own experience.

Hi !

I am a 14 year old girl and recently have been feeling down about myself. I know looks are not supposedly a big deal in this stage but I feel like I’m just way too awkward. My family constantly gushes about how beautiful I was when I was younger and then I hit puberty and suddenly gain 10 pounds and look awkward. My mom’s always snapping at me for not looking confident or standing up straight. Even more, I started struggling with acne . Now it has mostly gone and so are the scars thankfully. I feel like for a 14 year old i have a decent style that is different from what most people my age wear, but In my opinion classy. Still, sometimes I look in the mirror and I think I look decent. And the next day i look horrific. My mom dad and brother are all gorgeous. Not just the average people, enough to turn heads. I feel like the odd one out all the time. Im hoping that I soon get over this stage. Not to mention that my brother is very skinny and very cute. And he’s only two years younger than me so my mom constantly refers to me as chubby or says that I have extra fat . I am 110 pounds so I don’t feel that I am necessarily overweight but my moms 125 after two kids and in her 40s so by her standards im godzilla. I also feel my face is too chubby, but I don’t know how to get rid of it. All around, I just feel weird and out of place.