Dear Prudence,
Three years ago I experienced an incredibly strong and instantaneous connection with a man. It was the only time I’ve ever felt such a powerful attraction, and I felt hooked immediately. The problem is that he was my professor—or at least a graduate student teaching my class. I never pursued anything with him because of the obvious ethical issues. Once I graduated, I thought about him a lot but never attempted to get in touch with him.
A year and a half later, I’m in grad school and—surprise—he now teaches here too. We’ve since met again and have become a lot more involved academically. My feelings have only increased. I’m near graduation now but I’m scared of saying something and I’m not sure it’s ethically OK even after I graduate. I’m scared of rejection, and I worry that my attachment to him is not genuine—that it’s just a product of the situation. I don’t know how to get over this and I’m scared to start anything. Am I just being a silly girl infatuated with an idea?
—Stupid in Love