Nikki from New York Needs Your Help.

Listen. These condescending little rich brats in my 9 am class have already gotten the better of me. They are insolent and childish. When they saw I was young - I look about 16, but am 26 - they took their standard Y+ Generation posture, hollered to their buddies across the room, and asked a variety of personal questions, including what kind of car I drive, what was I listening to on my iPod, and how old I was.

I admit I lack some of the force I might need to control a room full of hooligans, but I didn't suspect I'd need it at this pricey private college.

I am inexperienced, and I am over matched, but what do I do now? Do you know how long I've been working toward this? Do you know how hard I worked to get into this grad program? Do you know the shit I had to eat in order to get the money together, to get the time to myself, to make this happen?

And now after two days of class last week I want nothing more than to just get out, to give up my tiny fellowship, go back home embarrassed and a failure, and just take my licks from the "folks back home" who told me I would be back someday anyway.

How do others do this? I find these 18 and 19 year old students to be monstrous, probing, dumb, dickheaded, loud, mean-spirited, and just despicable. How am I going to get them in line? How can I control the class if I can't control my emotions when one of them says, "You're too pretty to be stuck in a classroom. You should be hanging out at the house with me and the rest of the guys."

I know it's stupid. I know they're kids. But they've thrown me off guard, I've shown my emotions in class, and I'm fearful to go to my director for help. I'm afraid they'll take away this gig that I don't even think I want. Is there anyone out there who's been where I am?

Help me, please.