Dear Matty, Can you tell me why girls think tanning to the point of being orange and having hair so bleached it looks like it’s going to crack is attractive? Or do you think it’s attractive? -Wondering About These Future Cancer Patients

While I can’t tell you what this specific species of female Towson students is thinking when they fry themselves in tanning beds and bleach their hair various shades of orange, yellow and white, I can tell you that I don’t find it the least bit attractive, and I think many of my male peers would likely agree with that sentiment. Maybe these girls do it because they see semi-famous people in magazines or on MTV with the same look. Maybe they give into peer pressure and do it because their friends, neighbors, sorority sisters, or classmates are all doing it. Or worse yet, maybe they actually think it’s a good look for them. Who knows, but you can be sure that the guys on campus aren’t smitten by these girls because of their leathery skin or their thirsty, thinning locks. Remember ladies, you shouldn’t underestimate how little it takes to coax some college-aged guys into leaving CVPs or the Kent to go home with you.

Dear Matty, Recently, I met a woman that I seem to connect with pretty well. However, she has a filthy habit that I find disgusting: she smokes. I have always told myself that I could never be with a smoker. We hooked up about a week ago and I don’t know if I would be able to continue seeing her cause of her habit, even though I do like her. I don’t plan on getting into a serious relationship at this point in my life, but if I began to feel it was worth a shot. How do you think I should approach this issue? -Briarcliff Boy

Having a smoking preference may not seem like a big deal to a lot of people, but considering the fact that it’s a choice that needs to be made on Internet dating sites, in restaurants and hotels, and at other points in the dating/mating process, it’s obviously a make or break decision for some. If you have such strong feelings about being with a smoker, you need to consider if there would ever be a scenario in which you would change your stance. If you’re willing to tolerate smoking for true love and if you can see yourself falling for that girl sometime in the near future, go for it, but make sure you explain your distaste for her habit before you get involved. If you don’t anticipate pulling a 180 down the road, though, I’d look for companionship elsewhere.

Dear Matty, I’m a freshman here at Towson. I met a very nice girl and we really hit it off, but there is a problem that I haven’t had the heart to tell her about yet. I have a STD. How can I go about breaking it to her without losing her? -Hopelessy in Love

First things first, if you’ve had any sexual encounters with your lady friend, you need to tell her about your STD immediately to ensure that she gets tested and that she’s doing the necessary things to treat and prevent the spreading of the disease (hopefully you’ve already taken the same steps for yourself). If you guys haven’t, uh, expressed your feelings physically, you still need to explain your situation to her as soon as possible, even though the conversation may not be as rosy as the Valtrex commercials on TV may indicate. She may be resentful and untrusting if you wait too long to tell her about your STD. Either way, I’m sure your big announcement will probably freak her out initially, but if she has the same feelings as you have for her, you may still be able to work things out together with some patience, trust and understanding.