I just want to disappear into the ground. My girlfriend and I are just starting out together with eight other people in a holiday home, she forgot her morning-after pill – and my panicked Google search for the nearest emergency pharmacy for it just ended up in the big group chat. 😭 Of all people, Laura, whom I always thought was totally uptight, immediately messaged me privately: "I've got one in my toiletry bag, just go upstairs. I'll write in the chat, you meant headache tablets." How am I ever going to face these people again at breakfast?!

Take a deep breath: First, you won't die from acute embarrassment, even if it feels exactly like it – and second, you owe Laura a lifetime supply of a hot drink of her choice. What just happened to you is every digital generation's nightmare, but look at reality: You had sex, you took responsibility, and someone in your group turned out to be the absolute hero of the hour. Contraceptive failures are human, not a crime. The others in the chat probably swallowed Laura's rescue ruse – and even if they didn't: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Important medical advice: Still, quickly check the package insert or call your nearest pharmacy to find out which preparation it is (levonorgestrel or ulipristal acetate) and whether the time window is still right, because the sooner it's taken, the more effective it is. And for breakfast tomorrow, you pull your shoulders back, discreetly get Laura her favorite croissants, and, in response to strange looks, say dryly: "Yes, my phone and I are currently having a complicated relationship."