Being with that the same friend is starting to suffocate me

i have a friend I’m always with. At first, we weren’t in the same class, and everything was fine. We’d see each other occasionally, have lunch together every now and then, but we weren’t constantly together. Then, when she repeated a year, we ended up in the same class.

Now, it’s been 4 years that we’ve been in the same class, and we do absolutely everything together. Whenever we have to work in pairs, we always team up (unless the teacher assigns the groups). We sit next to each other in class, we eat together, we spend our breaks together… Basically, we’re always together. It’s become a routine, and little by little, it’s starting to bother me. Her constant presence is beginning to feel overwhelming, and I feel so guilty for feeling this way.

I also feel like she depends on me a bit too much. She’s an amazing friend—thoughtful, kind, and caring—and I truly appreciate her. But being together all the time is starting to make me feel suffocated. “Suffocated” might sound a little extreme, but it’s like I don’t have any space for myself anymore.

Because we’re always together, even small, insignificant things about her sometimes irritate me. I’ve also noticed that I become quieter and more reserved when she’s around. Next year, we’re starting university, and for a long time, she’s been talking about moving in together. But honestly, I don’t want to. If we’re already together all the time at school, I’m afraid living with her would make this feeling even worse. And I’m scared to tell her, because I don’t want to hurt her or make things awkward between us.

There’s also something else that’s been on my mind lately. Initially, she was completely set on going to a specific university—the same one I was planning to attend. But when I changed my mind and decided to apply elsewhere, she suddenly started hesitating between her first choice and the university I picked. Recently, she told me she’s planning to apply to the one I chose, and it left me feeling conflicted.

I’ve realized that when I’m with her, everything feels like a routine—always the same—and it’s draining. Yet she’s such an incredible person, and that’s why I feel so guilty for feeling this way.