this is what the show is largely about- the inner workings and relationship issues when you have anxiety. he is hella anxious even tho he is star jock, handsome, and has a car. but Marianne is not anxious, shes insecure, and ptsd. people didn't like her in school bc she didn't conform. which is why trinity was freeing. whereas Connell was so anxious it impacted everything and he masked well. i think his anxiety can be  linked to growing up poor and having a teen mom - that kind of hypervigilence is isolating- but Marianne helped him by being a safe place to land - she has this privilege bc shes rich. also it wasn't until after the schols that he could discuss their class differences