My classmate is coming over to my house tonight for our first real date, and I just woke up with a massive, throbbing cold sore right on my upper lip. How do I tell him without completely humiliating myself, or do I just cancel the whole thing?

Deep breath: cold sores have a horrific sense of timing, but they don't have to kill your love life. First, the facts: the vast majority of people carry the virus, so he probably already has it or knows someone who does. Still, kissing and sharing drinks are strictly off-limits right now, because active blisters are contagious. Don't try to cake foundation over it—that just makes it angry. Grab a tiny hydrocolloid cold sore patch from the pharmacy so it can heal in peace. Then, defuse the bomb before he even rings the doorbell. Send a quick text: "Hey, really looking forward to tonight, but heads-up: a giant cold sore showed up uninvited today, so kissing is officially postponed. Still down for pizza?" It takes away the awkward "do I lean in?" panic for both of you and shows you're confident. If someone cancels on you over a temporary blister, they aren't mature enough for a real relationship anyway. Keep the date, eat the snacks, and save the fireworks for next week.