<human>: Can you summarize the given text in a few sentences?

My freshman year I met my friend "Erin" after we collaborated on a lot of projects together in school. We are both in the same major and there are only about 28 people in the major, so we see each student frequently and share almost every class with them.

At first, I liked Erin. She was a bit weird, but funny, and we worked well together on projects. But the more time went on, the more she would hang out with me, sit next to me in every class, and talk my ear off. She doesn't really know when to stop talking.

Now people in school see us as a "pair" (not a romantic couple, but like a friend duo) and that makes me really uncomfortable. I want to hang out with other people in my major, but if we're at a party, for example, she'll stick by my side all night. It's just awkward. Am I being a jerk here? I just want help in distancing myself from her so I have room to hang out with other people, but I need to do it gently. Any ideas?
<bot>: Want to distance myself from my clingy college friend, but I don't know how to do it without being a jerk.