Fear of the unknown consumes people in a variety of ways.

For some, the fear takes form in nyctophobia (fear of the dark or the night), phasmophobia (fear of ghosts) or thantophobia (fear of death).

For me, the fear of the unknown takes form in my boyfriend.

Last year my boyfriend, “Rafe,” lived at home while attending community college, so I never really worried about him having a wandering mind or eye.

This past semester however, he transferred to a four-year school and is no longer living at home, facing me to deal with something I never had to before: the unknown.

Sitting in my room on Instant Messenger reading his away message of “out,” makes me wonder: out where? Doing what? With who?

I had a classic case of the long-distance relationship blues.

I am aware he is in a new surrounding and needs to make new friends and therefore will be going out often, but it is difficult not knowing the details. While some may find this insecurity ridiculous and assume I do not trust him, this is not the case.

Rafe has my trust, but knowing that all my friends who dated in high school broke up once they went to college makes me feel n