I am a female, second-year Computer Science student, and I need your help.  I really like this 3rd year, but he will be graduating this year and moving away.  I’m quite shy and am not sure what to do about it.  Should I just go for it? Or is there no point, as he won’t be around soon anyway?

As I see it, you have two problems here. The first is your anxiety about him leaving, putting – in your eyes – a sell-by date on any potential relationship. And then there’s your shyness, a disposition that makes the prospect of getting into that relationship in the first place seem slightly remote to you at this stage.

Taking both of these things into account, my advice would still be: go for it. What have you got to lose? He’s going to graduate in June, and he might be a little busy with the old Finals next term, so if you want romance to blossom you have to hope something will happen now.

Strategy-wise, there’s plenty you can do. Flirt outrageously at brunch. Wear low-cut tops to the library.

On a more serious note, your next step depends on where your relationship is currently. Is he a good friend? Someone you make small talk with between lectures? Or are we talking about a Wheatus Teenage Dirtbag sort of situation?

A good idea would be to make an effort to spend more time with him; get to know him better. Given that you admit to being a little shy, having mutual friends with him will make this much easier. Otherwise shared interests/activities/societies would be another way to strike up that all important conversation. If there’s nothing you think the two of you have in common, this is clearly your cue to become incredibly interested in Iron Maiden, fanatical about football, or whatever it is that he likes.

Alternatively, get incredibly drunk at the next college bop and hope he does too. A modern day love story.

There is obviously the slight, tiny, miniscule, absolutely infinitesimal chance that he might just not be that into you. Equally, it’s possible that on getting to know him better, you decide he’s not worth all the fuss.

And remember: ultimately, if it doesn’t go to plan, he’s leaving isn’t he? You won’t have to deal with the awkward accidentally-bumped-into-him-at-college-lunch situations, which, I think we can all agree, are certainly best avoided.

In case you missed Becca's last column on the laws of attraction, read it here.

To bother Becca, send your questions to confess@varsity.co.uk