THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, November 3, 1995               TAG: 9511020042
SECTION: DAILY BREAK              PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: Vorando Mack and Karen Baranski
                                             LENGTH: Short :   37 lines

LISTEN UP!: EVERYONE HAS RIGHT TO SOME TIME ALONE

DEAR KAREN AND VORANDO:

How you doing? I'm 18 years old and I go to Deep Creek High. I have an extremely protective girlfriend who gives me almost no space and sometimes smothers me. Whenever I try to go out or get away, she gets mad and we start fighting. Well, I hope you can help me. - Smothered

Dear Smothered: First of all, be grateful that you have such an attentive girlfriend. Many relationships lack attention from both sides. Nevertheless, there is still a problem.

Let your girlfriend know that you like the attention but that everyone needs space. There is absolutely nothing wrong with giving someone time alone. In fact, it could make the relationship stronger.

Too much of anything is risky and hazardous. In this case, too much attention could cause you to grow tired of each other's company, which could be the beginning of the end of your relationship.

Try talking with her and setting up times that you will be apart, each exploring your own interests. Take some time to miss each other and then you will see how strong you are in your relationship. Time spent being your own person can only improve your relationship and make both of you better people. MEMO: Vorando Mack is a senior at Norview High School and Karen Baranski is a

senior at Green Run High School. Their column appears biweekly in

Teenology. You can ask questions by calling INFOLINE at 640-5555 and

entering category 8335, or write to them at Listen Up!, 4565 Virginia

Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va. 23462. by CNB