I came out of the closet when I was 12, on a hot and sticky bus ride home from the 6th grade. My first confidants were (naturally) my two best girlfriends, who lived in the same neighborhood I did and, to their credit, took the news reasonably well.

Not everyone in my small town was so understanding, but I didn't have it too bad, all things considered. Though my Connecticut hometown hovers somewhere in the space between rural and suburban, it is Connecticut, after all—a reliably blue state and a pretty tolerant (if provincial) place.

That said, being the only out kid in town (at least for a few years) had more than its fair share of eye roll-inducing moments.

Below, check out 15 frustrations familiar to anyone who's ever been out there on his/her own.

Being "The Gay One"

Or as I was known, "Jamo Gaymo."

Having To Perfect Your Resting Bitch Face

Because the best defense is an expression that says IDGAF.

Everyone Looking At You When Someone Said "That's So Gay" In Class

Including the teacher.

Being Forced To Work With Your Bully On A Group Project

Having to work with your bully was bad. Having to work with your bully who was also your secret crush? Torture.

Having Your Friends' Parents Gossip About You

That's (small town) entertainment!

Being Set Up With Every Other Gay Guy In A 50-Mile Radius

"You have to meet my friend! You're perfect for each other: you're both gay."

Only Learning About Straight Sex In Health Class

When a man loves a woman what now?

Being Approached By Every Closet-Case At School

Sunday night you're having cybersex, Monday morning he's ignoring you in Spanish class.

Falling In Love With One Of Them

He usually had a girlfriend and he always broke your heart.

Waiting For The "Gay Episode" Of Any TV Show

In a time before Logo, you had your pick of Will & Grace reruns, staying up late to sneak Queer As Folk and/or praying that there'd be gay people on the latest episode of Dismissed.

Looking For Love Online

Before Tinder, before Scruff, before OKCupid and Grindr, there was MySpace. And it was full of gay teenagers' bathroom mirror selfies.

Seeing Your Teachers On Manhunt

And never the ones you wanted to see.

Listening To Your Girlfriends Complain That "All The Good Ones Are Gay"

What are these mythical "good ones" of which you speak?

The Boys Locker Room

There never was a more terrifying, titillating site of repressed homoeroticism.

"Looking Out Of The Corner Of My Eye," am I right?

Finally Moving To The City And Realizing You're Years Ahead Of Everyone Else

After slutting it up in the suburbs through my teen years, I moved to New York ready to fall in love—only to discover that most of my peers were rapid-cycling through a delayed gay adolescence.

I guess you're never too old for some furtive touching. Not mad about it.