Anonymous: I want to spend more time with my boyfriend, but he is always busy with football practice. I’ve tried asking him to skip out on practice, but he insists on being at every practice. What should I do?

Nolan: Time is probably the most valuable resource in the world, more valuable than gold or diamonds. How you decide to spend it reflects your values as a person. At some point in their lives, lovers must learn how to balance their life to have enough time for their significant other.

He isn’t neglecting you intentionally; he just doesn’t understand how serious you are about your relationship. Teenage boys sometimes don’t have the emotional awareness to recognize these feelings. I think that a direct approach would be best.

Try coming to some of his football practices! This may seem weird at first but I can guarantee he will appreciate it in the long run. Eventually, they will think of you as a part of the team. Once this happens you are ready for the next step. Start learning everything about the players on the team, their names, their favorite colors, their inside jokes, and their day-to-day schedules. The more time you spend doing this the more convincing you will be later on!

Once you think you are ready, get rid of his closest friend. The method here isn’t really important as long as it is discreet. Take his football uniform and don it when going to his next practice. Just follow the routine of practice and don’t take off your helmet. You would be surprised at how easy it is to fool people when you act confident. If you did your homework you won’t only be his girlfriend, you will also be his best friend too! You won’t ever need to worry about your boyfriend trying to spend time with anyone else ever again.