What does "in" do here? Why was "in" used here?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
The preposition "in" is used here to refer to being in the state or in the action of a certain "state of mind". While "in" as a preposition often describes the physical location of being "in" something, "in" can also mean "to be" and describe someone's current state of something. Ex: I'm in a hurry. Ex: She's in a panic because she's late for work.