about

♥♥♥♥♥♥
The name is Leah. I live in Cincinnati, OH. I really love to give advice! I have been here since November of 2004. But prior to joining here, I was always been seeked for advice. Still to this day, my primary concern is always helping someone out in need.

I am likely not the best columnist here, but I can quarantee I am very dedicated and concerned when I answer a question. If I answer a question you're not satisfied with, I will ask why, so I can try my best to change my answer. I only give people information that I know; not information that I might know. And if I notice a columnist giving you a wrong answer, you'll know I'll be correcting their response!!

I do allow everyone and anyone to ask a question. I may have listed favorite categories, but I really have no preference. I do love making new friends!! It's no problem to contact me by e-mail or IM. I do have a Myspace, and I will gladly give it out if asked! If you ever need advice, if you feel like ending it all, if you feel like no one cares, I am here!! Talk to me.. I will listen and I will help you!!

♥Leah

advice

If someone, like, had mono before, could they give it to someone later if they kiss them? And if you, like, had mono once, can you get it again? Or can you, like, not get it again like chicken pox?

If the mono is completely treated and gone, and you kiss them, the person is not very likely getting it.

And just like chicken pox, you should never get it again, because you'll gain immunity to the virus.

You can think of it like a cold; you kiss someone on it, the person will likely get it. If the cold is gone, and you kiss, nothing will happen.. unless the other person has the different virus of the cold.

For more info and FAQ's on mono, I'd do some reading here:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/infectious-mononucleosis-topic-overview

I hope I helped.

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14/f

I've noticed that I have these weird bumps all over my legs. Some of them are red and some of them are flesh colored. Also, I get like little black dots that are kind of like scabs under my skin that appear randomly.

What are these and how do I get rid of them?

Thank you!!

I used to get those too. It's mainly from shaving on dry (unmoisturized) skin. It can also be the razor as well. If it's old, or the rezor is dull, replace it. Also, shaving too hard can cause it too. Shave lightly and slowly.

To help with bumps I love using moisturizing lotion, and try using shaving gel with rich moisturizers.

Hope I helped.

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19/f

Ok, so I have, like, these randon pains pretty often. I don't know what is wrong with me. It seems like something is often hurting me and I don't know why, but I've mostly learned to live with it and just dismiss it usually. recently I've been having pain in my knee when I walk. It has happened in both knees. But even more concerning to me is this pain that's, like, in my uterus, and it has nothing to do with my period!

I've felt this pain a significant amount of times before, and maybe on 5 different days. I don't really remember but I guess it has been about 5. It sometimes feels like thin vertical columns of pain shooting through my uterus area, and the pain sometimes spreads to outside of that area. And when I feel it I usually have to stop what I'm doing, or feel like I have to.

Is something wrong with me?

There could be something potentially wrong.

The first thing that popped into my head was something called fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia syndrome affects the muscles and soft tissue. Fibromyalgia symptoms include chronic pain in the muscles, fatigue, sleep problems, and painful tender points or trigger points at certain parts of the body. Fibromyalgia pain and other symptoms can be relieved through medications, lifestyle changes, stress management, and other fibromyalgia treatment.

View more info at this WebMD website:
http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/default.htm

I don't want to scare you, but if it's that bothersome to the point where it's affecting your every day routine, I would prefer seeing a doctor.

I hope I helped.

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Iam 20 years old and iam a female my boyfriend is 21 years old and we have only been dating for a week and he's alredy asking me when we are going to makeout and have sex and he says he's the kind of guy who is very sexually active and I told him that I just don't think iam ready for that kind of serious relationship that he wants especially since the last time I had done something sexual with a guy when I was 18 which it was only oral sex so iam still a virgin but the guy hasn't talked to me once since we had oral sex and iam afraid if I do this it will happen to me again what should I do?

Simply tell your boyfriend you're not ready yet. You want to wait until the time is right and special for you two. Whether it would be next week or a few months down the road; you simply want to wait.

He would be a true boyfriend if he understands. If he can't and really needs that sex, tell him then it's not going to work. He may pressure you, but don't give in. If he really cared for you he'd wait with you.

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Hey guys!! I have a birth control question. I got prescribed, and my doctor told me to start it the Friday after my period. But my period ended that Friday, so I was ganna wait until this Friday.

But I forgot already! Good start, right? So then I started it today, and my question is.. if this can hurt me? I'm not having sex, so I don't mean that in relation to pregnancy.

And can I drink on the pill?

Oh yeah, you're completely fine. As long as you didn't skip a few days consectively. Rule is if you forget a day, take them as soon as you remember. And if you're nearing the second dose, take the missed dose and the next dose. It won't hurt you. Just remember to take it.

And yes, you can drink on the pill. Downside is, do you smoke? If so, be very careful. Smoking and birth control do not go together, because then you're at higher risk for high blood pressure and clotting of the arteries.

I've been on birth control for 2 years, so I know what I am talking about =]. Hope I helped.

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about a month ago i had what felt like a pimple in my butt crack, and it hurt alot for about a week. It also got the toilet paper a little bloody when i pooped. Now about a month later sometimes when i poop the whole toilet is filled with blood. Does anyone have a guess of why???

I have 3 guesses here.

The first one would probably be, when you do poop, does it hurt? If so, it could be the poop damaging tissue in the rectum or anal area, causing it to bleed. A little bleeding is common. This happens to everyone occasionally. But if you're saying you're bleeding a lot, that's a problem.

Another one could mean any kind of internal bleeding. However, unlike the first guess, this is an every day thing. You bleed every time you urinate or excrete solid wastes.

A third one can be hemorrhoids. This is quite painful. When you do poop, it hurts, and some blood comes out. Similar to the first guess.
More information regarding rectal bleeding can be found here:
http://www.medicinenet.com/rectal_bleeding/article.htm

It's very important that if you are losing a lot of blood, to the point where your toilet is a darker (maroon) red, and you feel fatigue, dizziness, or loss of balance, or nausea, call 911 immediately!!

I hope I helped.

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Do you know of any medical conditions (besides depression) of which two symptoms are chronic fatigue and back or body pain? I appreciate any answers, whether you know of one or several. Thanks.

Alright, this will be long. So be ready.

Chronic fatigue and body aches and pains do many times go together with one another.

The first one that came to mind would be chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome may occur after an infection, such as a cold or viral illness. The onset can be during or shortly after a time of great stress, or chronic fatigue syndrome come on gradually without a clear starting point or obvious cause.

Symptoms Include:
*Loss of memory or concentration
*Sore throat
*Painful and mildly enlarged lymph nodes in your neck or armpits (check if your neck is swollen)
*Unexplained muscle soreness
*Pain that moves from one joint to another without swelling or redness
*Headache of a new type, pattern or severity
*Sleep disturbance
*Extreme exhaustion lasting more than 24 hours after physical or mental exercise

While causes aren't known for sure, they have hypothosized that it could be from:

*Depression
*Iron deficiency anemia (or lack of iron in the blood)
*Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
*History of allergies
*Virus infection, such as Epstein-Barr virus or human herpesvirus 6
*Dysfunction in the immune system
*Changes in the levels of hormones produced in the hypothalamus, pituitary glands or adrenal glands
*Mild, chronic low blood pressure (hypotension)

I got this info from MayoClinic.com. If you want to read more on this condition, click on the link.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/DS00395

I would doubt it would be Lyme Disease, because LD comes from ticks. So I am not sure if you've somehow confronted with a tick. You don't specify and I'd assume you never came across a tick anyway.

Another condition that would be a possibility is called Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia syndrome affects the muscles and soft tissue. Fibromyalgia symptoms include chronic pain in the muscles, fatigue, sleep problems, and painful tender points or trigger points at certain parts of the body. Fibromyalgia pain and other symptoms can be relieved through medications, lifestyle changes, stress management, and other fibromyalgia treatment.

Symptoms include:

*Anxiety
*Concentration and memory problems -- known as fibro fog
*Depression
*Digestive disorders
*Discoloration of hands and feet (Raynaud's phenomenon)
*Dryness in mouth, nose, and eyes
*Fatigue
*Headaches
*Irritable bowel syndrome
*Morning stiffness
*Pain
*Painful menstrual cramps
*Restless legs syndrome
*Sleep problems
*Swelling, numbness, and tingling in hands, arms, feet, and legs
*Trigger points
*Urinary symptoms

I got this information from WebMD.com; one of my favorite websites. Link:
http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/default.htm

Either way I would recommend seeing a doctor about your symptoms.

I hope I helped =]

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18/F

My period finished this morning and I had sex today at about 2pm but during it the condom broke. Im not sure when it happened though. Im not on the pill(or morning after pill) and the only time I can get a prescription for it is tomorrow arvo after 12:30PM. Will it be too late by then? what are the chances of me being pregnant? Im stressing out really bad! :(

Since you stated that you finished your period this morning, then had your period at 2 pm, the chances of being pregnant are very unlikely. Here is why:

During ovulation, your uterus will start building up tissue along the uterine lining of the uterus. This is to help prepare for a possible pregnancy. As days go by, it keeps building up, and the egg from the fallopian tubes travels to the top of the uterus and plants itself in the uterine lining. This is when you are most fertile; when you are nearing your period. Your period starts, and the tissue starts shedding, which is where the blood is coming from. The egg also disentegrates in the process. At the end of the period (last day), the egg is gone and the tissue that was built is gone. This point the next egg is still in the ovary and would take a week to travel back to the fallopian tube.

Semen can last for a few days in the uterus. It's very rare that pregnancy would occur anyway, but it has happened. However, pregnancies that occur in the fallopian tube where the egg sat is rare but life threatening.

When you do see your doctor, explain you'd like the morning after pill. But I feel you are most likely fine anyway.

I hope I helped =]

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Okay - I doubt that I am pregnant but my period is all late now so I'm just... freaking out.

I had sex in february for the first time and I got my period march 6... and now its april and I have yet to get it..
does that mean anything?

Yes I have been stressed and stuff but it's really late now, but I shouldn't have any reason to worry right??

Well foremost, the previous columnist is right. Sometimes when you have sex the first time, it can change your ovulation schedule, hence late periods.

If you're a teenager, like between the ages of 13-18, it's normal for periods to be irregular or late. Stress can be absent or present in the situation. Teenage years are the worst with ovulation.

To explain the period in march, then no period in april, it can possibly be stress and/or irregular periods. Many factors can effect this. Your diet - are you eating unhealthy foods? Exercise - are you not exercising enough or exercising too much? Age can be a factor as well.

And you can still have periods when you're pregnant. But don't be too confused. Sometimes what is called bleeding implantation, which is bleeding during pregnancy, or miscarriages. So if you're experiencing very heavy cramping, I'd see a doctor.

However, with the symptoms listed, your chances of pregnancy is small. In the third month, you should be experiencing symptoms like morning sickness, fatigue, abdominal pain, mood swings, or your nipples darkening. The negative test results would show that pregnancy is unlikely.

To sum it up, you're most likely fine. Irregular periods are normal, and stress is inevitable. Girls can skip a period up to 3-4 months, and then finally have one. However, if you do not get a period by june or july I would see someone. They would probably put you on a progesterone treatment, which starts your period, then they would put you on birth control to get your period regulated again.

I hope I helped =]

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I'm really not sure if anyone will be able to help me out on this one, but I'm really depressed about this & I'm wondering if anyone can help me out at all.

First of all, I live in Kentucky. I've been on disability since I was 14 or 15 due to a kidney disease. I've tried to hold a job before, but I just can't do it. My immune system is too weak, & I get sick constantly if I'm around a lot of people. Plus, my medicine makes me extremely tired all the time.

So, I'll be 19 in a few weeks. I had to go to the Social Security Office a few weeks ago to refile my claim since I'm legally an adult now. I gave them all the information on my disease & why I can't work & the woman said they send it to the central office for a decision & she didn't see why they'd deny it.

Well, today I got a letter in the mail. They denied my claim. I'm devastated. That was my only source of income. I have bills to pay & I help my family out with groceries & things, so I have no idea what to do now. The reason they listed for denying it was because I hadn't worked long enough. Apparently you have to earn points up to get disability by working, & in order to get it, I was supposed to work for a year and a half BEFORE I first filed for disability. So, there's the problem. I was too young to even legally hold a job before I applied, not to mention I can't even work without getting sick. I thought the whole point of disability was to provide income to people who can't hold a job.

Does anyone know anything I can do? I'm planning on appealing it, but I don't even know if I can talk to them without becoming an emotional wreck. This is so devastating to me. And can someone explain how that is supposed to work when I can't even hold a job? Thanks.

My mom also applied for disability as well. She was diagnosed with Peripheral Neuropathy a few years ago. For months she was constantly getting denied for disability, even when the Doctor said she was eligible.

So what she did, was find a disability lawyer. Your chances of winning the claim is very high if you do this route. However, the downside was it took awhile. Usually the claim can be won within a month to 2 years, depending on your situation.

As a first step I would contact your Doctor so they can highly recommend you to get on disability. My mom had to go there frequently but it ended up being worth it.

I hope I helped. Good luck.

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i whant to mastrobate but i dont know if i should or should not so what should i do

The option to masturbate is entirely up to you, based on your beliefs or opinions. This is something personal that you can do in the privacy of your own room.

I honestly feel like masturbation isn't wrong or immoral, like how many cultures see it. But every culture and religion is different.

I don't want to encourage or discourage you, but if you feel the need to masturbate you're more than welcome to. It's not a selfish action. It's normal to want to be familiar with your body, such as what turns you on or off. It's also beneficial if you would prefer being abstinent for awhile.

Hope I helped. =]

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A house had not been cleaned for a period of time. Now certain areas have a dusty type of odor. Have vacuumed, dusted and washed the curtains, used sprays but odor is still there. I thought it was pollen maybe brought in. In Ct so pollen count is high now. Keep the windows closed to minimize pollen. Also thought about dust mites. Do they multiply rapidly? The only problem with that is the odor is in one area that has no carpet just tile . One night i could barely breath thats why I thought it was pollen on the bed linens. Dusted the bedroom, washed the linens, and vacuumed. Seemed to help but then it starts to accelerate rather quickly. Its seems like sometimes I can taste it. Can someone help?

Just like the previous columnist said. Your tiles could have mold or mildew. You can try scrubbing with clorox bleach or a common household antibacterial cleaner.

Dust mites do multiply quickly. Dust is irritating, that's why you have to keep up with cleaning/dusting surfaces.

For the smell, it could be moisture in the air. Sometimes, when moisture is stuck inside for a long time, your house will start smelling. It could be the growth of mold or mildew. To help, try cleaning your walls with anti-mold sprays, or bleach. Also, open your windows; get the air out. Pollen is probably not what it is at this point. Also try buying a dehumidifier.I own one, and they work great! They suck in the moisture in the air, so your room can feel and smell dryer. They also dry out mold and mildew, since they form from moisture.

I have a link you can check out to compare prices, or just research them a bit more..

HomeDepot sells them:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?Ntk=AllProps&N=10000003+90001+525285&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&langId=-1&cm_mmc=RMI_DFM-_-goog-_-D-29_HolidayNov2008_0_Appliances-_-bidid340943&gclid=CI2mh5Omg5oCFQEhDQodngxMFQ


Hope I helped.

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my poop has been coming out in little pieces when i poop, its like not as big anymore.
and today i thought my period was coming and it wasnt but when i wiped there was poop.
whats wrong?

Well, when your body wastes exit in small pieces, that hints you that you're not very hydrated, or you're not taking in enough fiber in your diet. Foods high in fiber include wheats and grains (like cereal or bread), most vegetables, and fruits.

And if you're implying that poop is coming out involuntarily, it's possible that your rectum's size is changing. And the gasy part probably has something to do with what you're eating.

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I definitely need someone's advice who knows what there talking about. I am on Yaz birth control I have been for about a year now, I went away with my friends this past weekend and forgot to take 2 of my pink pills. I am a sunday starter. I forgot the pill staurday of my second week and sunday beginning my third week. I woke up this morning and had my period which i was not suppose to get until next weekend. I took saturday and sundays pill today Monday April 20th. and then i took my monday pill at my normal time. But not what do i do? The website said to take until sunday then throw out the pack but does that mean i take it for a whole other week and then start a new pack? i am so confused and i need advice ASAP thank youu!

The previous columnist is wrong, sorry.

I've taken birth control for two years, and know that if you skip consecutively 3 or more days, you throw it out, and restart a new pack.

If it's off and on, just keep taking it like you usually do. I've skipped pills too, and ended up getting spotting, which is normal. And yes, for sunday starters, you just keep taking it until sunday, then start a new pack.

And also, about the whole girls starting their periods at the same time, it's only true if you live with them. Some studies showed that girls who lived together would have their period around the same time. You don't just get the same cycle when you hang out. They found that really, you use the same toilet for awhile, that can happen. Since in theory your body gets chemicals from it.

Hope I helped.

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i used to be on a track team in 7th grade. i was a distance runner, and had to run at least 2 miles a day. my times were pretty good, (i think my shortest time for a mile was 7 minutes and 32 seconds.) but after track ended, i found i couldnt run anymore. everytime i would even run a little, id breathe really hard for about 5 minutes and have to sit down.

well, that was three years ago and i still cant run. and a few months ago, i noticed i have a dent in my right rib cage. its easily noticeable if you feel my side and look at it when i lay down. my third rib down is totally bent inward. i dont know when this happened. and i just now noticed it. i showed it to my parents, but they arent concerned. could this have anything to do with my shallow breathing when i try to run? i could run about 20 feet, and then start breathing really hard and huffing and puffing. and i havent tried to run at full speed in a long time, but i know it might cause me to do the same thing.

i dont have asthma, but i do smoke. could anyone tell me if this bent rib is causing me to breathe really deeply sometimes? and is the smoking not helping that much, either? i know it probably wouldnt, but a few of my friends smoke, too, and they can run just fine. did track permanently damage me or something? and should i have my side checked out?

sorry this is so long ^.^ thanks for any answers.

If your ribs are that damaged, yes it can effect your breathing. When ribs are inverted or somehow disfigured, it can prevent your lungs from expanding, thus it would be harder to exhale and inhale a sufficient amount of air.

And smoking in the longterm does hurt you. I know it seems a bit unfair that some smokers seem completely healthy, but some just physically deteriorate. But the chemicals in smoking do weaken your lungs, also preventing you from breathing efficiently.

I would highly recommend seeing a doctor. If you're under 18, you can tell your parents that you're concerned and you'd like to see a doctor. If they're still left unconvinced, get your school nurse to write a recommendation after checking it out. Then they may change their minds.

Leaving this untreated can be potentially serious which could possibly damage your lungs from the impact of your ribs. The ribs are supposed to protect your organs, not crush them.

I hope I helped.

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Anyone care to explain how people like get ringtones from the computer onto their cellphone? I heard like they download .WAV files and email it to themselves and access them from their phone or something like that. But currently I'm trying to get a ringtone through texting and stuff. Basically I want the Metal Gear Solid Codec ringtone lol, heard it's mega hard to find.

There are quite a few ways of getting them. There are an infinite amount of websites to get the ringtone, plus you have limewire you can try. Download it. Then you can e-mail it to yourself (some carriers give you an e-mail like number@serviceprovider.com). You can download it directly from your phone's internet, by searching for its .wav file. Some phones have this, but you can transfer it using a USB data cable. You'll need a USB port on both your phone and the computer. You can also try transferring it on a memory card, using a USB cable to placing the memory card in the USB port. Or you can have a friend with a USB or memory card to text or e-mail it to you.

Another option is using an email you have like User@yahoo.com, and send it to your number e-mail address.

Since you didn't specify what phone it is, I listed all the possible things you can do to get it. And some (older) phones aren't compatible with .wav files, so be sure it is compatible.

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so i heard that i doctor can tell whether a girl is a virgin or not.
what is it that they look at that indicates whether or not they have had sex?

It can be possible, because like the previous columnist said, your hymen breaks when you lose your virginity. It's a flab of skin that's near the vaginal opening. It bleeds when broken. And in some instances, it can break when you're riding a horse, using a tampon, or playing a sports activity.

So really it's possible but a broken hymen can mean so many things, not just being sexually active.

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im 15/f
well my dad is an alcoholic and
he drinks from the time he wakes
up until the time he goes to bed.
the only time he doesnt drink is
when he has to go to work. but he
always drinks when he gets home.
he is sick he has hepitis c. its
not the std its one from drinking.
he has anger issues also. but to the
point, my dad use to abuse my mom until
she left because dcf was called. my mom dad me and my sister havent even lived in our new
house for 6 months yet and my dad is going
back to his old ways. he doesnt hitmy mom but
he does verbaly abuse my mom. and thats
worse. but today i got home and my mom
told me that her and my dad got into a fight
but the bad thing was my sisters friends were
over and they had to leave. but any ways their
bathroom doo is like broken. theres a huge crack in it and the outline for the door is broken.
my mom told me she had to go in the bathroom to
get away from him and im guessing he tryed to
break down the door. and im scared to leave
them alone together. i dont realy know what to
do any more. my mom is having truble right now
with money just like everyone else so we cant leave him again. i just dont know what to do.
-Tamera

Tamera,

I am also really sorry about your situation at home. Around your age, my mom was a severe alcoholic as well. She would verbally and physically hit me and my sister, along with harassing my dad. I couldn't get help because I was so scared to. I kept this problem inside until I turned 17, when I attempted suicide from my mom calling me horrible names and threatening me. I was in the ER, and my mom looks at me frightened. She suddenly stopped drinking so much. Now, she just drinks socially.

And on her horrible drunken days, I would go to a friend's house for a few days, or stay with a family member.

I don't want you to harm yourself. I've just been there all the way. From personal experience, I talked to someone about it, and they referred me to the support group the previous person said. It's a very nice support group. You hear from people around your age that goes through the same things as you do. They also give you options on what you can do.

It's so hard, I know it is. It's scary, and those kinds of things scar you for life. But know that help is there.

Here's a link to other support groups, such as Alateen. They're very helpful people. Contact them, and you can attend a support group nearby.

http://www.recoveryconnection.org/support_groups/drug-alcohol-addiction-support-groups.php

If you ever need someone to talk to, I am here. My e-mail is on my advice column if you ever need someone. I hope I helped. Best wished to you, and my prayers go out to you.

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How do you make them hearts on display name on my space.

Like what LagunaBabe said, it's & hearts ;. Exclude all spaces though.

If you'd like to enhance the heart, such as making it bigger, or changing its color, let me know! I know how to do that too.

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so i just went to apply for a job and i had to fill out a questionaire.

some things i didnt know what to say were like: "what percent of americans do you think cheat on their taxes?" and "what percent of politicans do you think are dishonest?" and "your friends would say you are a) carefree or b) careful and seriousminded)

i didnt know what the right thing to say was!!!! =[ im really worried. any thoughts?

I've done those many times. Like the previous person said, they are just trying to find out what your personality is like. I get nervous taking them because I want to make the choice that the hirer will like.

Just be honest. I am sure you'll do fine.

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