I pretty much AM Gunther. I know exactly how he feels. Even with girls you’ve known for a long time, you freak out thinking you are going to say the wrong thing and you don’t want to lose what you have managed to gain with said girl. It takes time and patience. And if the girl is worth going for, she will have the patience to bear with your awkwardness.
Depends on what age you start. I graduated at 17 where as the rest of my class was 18. Maybe they don’t have a Sophomore year?