A greenhouse girl - that's what I feel like sometimes.
Over the past two years I've watched people I've known since secondary school evolve into almost unrecognisable creatures. The most obvious changes are in their attitude towards relationships and, more specifically, sex.
One of my friends recently broke up with his girlfriend of two years. Within two weeks he had moved on to another girl.
Bear in mind that this was the same shy, sweet and somewhat socially inept boy I befriended two years ago. He didn't believe in pre-marital sex then. Now, apparently, girls giggle and blush at his name.
One of my other friends calls this the 'Out of the Greenhouse' effect.
'He simply didn't have the opportunity back at home,' the friend said. 'He was brought up in a greenhouse environment, sheltered and protected. And his new girlfriend ... she's aggressive. She was wearing so little the other day that I couldn't even look at her.'