If you don't want to date more than one person at a time & you are dating this new person at school even if you aren't boyfriend/girlfriend, I would tell your friend in your hometown just that. That you just met a person at school & have just started dating him & that you don't feel right dating more than one person at a time. If asked, you can tell your friend that your feelings for him just weren't there for the makings of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship but that you like him as a friend.

I had a friend in college that I enjoyed doing things with, but knew would never turn into a serious relationship. I think he thought it might......but then I met the guy that I ended up marring & told my friend that I wasn't feeling ok with dating more than one person at that point but that I would love to stay friends. We actually stayed good friends for over 30 years. He went through a marriage /divorce, another marriage & a son & we stayed good friends all the time. He helped with all 3 moves we made & would house sit my cats while we went on vacation every year. Right after his son was born, he had an anurism burst in his head & was hospitalized in serious condition for a long time. I helped clean their condo & take care of getting them moved into the condo while his new wife was able to stay with him in the hospital. His wife stuck with him through all the rough times & through all the personality issues that were the reasons why I never would have married him. He died of cancer just 6 months before my Mother died of cancer & I helped her through that difficult time also. When my Mother was dying of cancer just a few months later, she was there for me also. It is amazing how relationships that someone wishes would turn into more can actually stay good friendships long into life.

But it's important to be honest up front....not hurtful.....just honest about where the relationship is & how you feel about dating more than one person at a time when you think you might end up having deeper feelings for the person you just met & are dating.

It's really not the serious problem you think it is.....just an issue of open communication.

Take care,
Debbie