We all have that one friend. The one who has her life together, who knows exactly what to do in any social situation. The one who understands how healthy, adult relationships are supposed to be, and has been in one firsthand.

I am not that friend.

Actually, I don’t think I even have that friend, because if I did, I would probably end up resenting her. I’m a twenty-one year old college senior, and if I met someone at this stage in her life who had it all figured out, I would probably suspect that she was a liar. Or magic.

Like the title of this post suggests, I am but a rookie in this romantic world. That’s not to say that I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. Even rookies know enough to get drafted, and I like to think that I’ve learned a few things during my time. The path to where I am now has been unconventional to say the least, cliché at times, and utterly confusing, but it could have been worse.

I still have yet to make it—really make it—in the big time, and I’m not quite sure that I’m ready to yet. After all, there is far too much to learn before I can declare myself a major player.

pictured: not exactly what I had in mind

So maybe I’m not that friend. But I am the friend who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. I am the friend with common sense who looks at things logically, even to a fault. I am the friend who will stay with you and analyze (or overanalyze) what went wrong.

In addition to being a rookie in the game of love, I’m also a newcomer to this site. So, hi. I hope that I can offer you something, whether it’s advice or entertainment when you learn more about my history. Maybe someone can learn from my past, even if it’s not me.

My point is, I am by no means an expert in this field. But I’m here, a rookie, looking to make the transition from school to working life—from living in a bubble to living in the real world—as smooth as possible. Though, even if it isn’t the smoothest transition, at least I’ll having some fun things to write about, meaning that you’ll have something fun to read.

So here’s to awkward introductions, fresh starts, and what’s to come. Hopefully, together, we can figure out what went wrong.