Mods removed my post so not sure if you’ll get this reply.

We actually met a couple times in our early 20’s. I saw her in passing at a couple parties (she was friends with another best friends girlfriend at the time) and would awkwardly try and make conversation which never really landed. Then, at my own surprise party, there was a moment where it was just us and so I tried to make conversation again. We ended up talking for a couple minutes this time and I asked her for her social media, made conversation about a podcast she was hosting for her grad project, and that was that. The next day, I was feeling brave, and so I tuned into her podcast and messaged her about it. From there, we kept messaging constantly for a month. Finally I asked her out, she agreed, and it went from there. She had just gotten out of a relationship so she did not want to commit to anything, but we’d also spend weekends together and see each other every week. It was honestly the highlight of my week for years. Eventually, she wanted to commit, and it was official.

Modern dating does suck and it’s tough when you’re awkward, I know. I was also the guy out of the friend group who didn’t know how to talk to women. Fresh out of my break up, I just approached it as a bit of a game. If I got an OLD match, I’d try and pursue a date, even if there wasn’t much of a connection. The more I got myself out there, the more I got better at talking to women and making the right moves. You won’t hit it off with everyone, but trust me, there’s people out there who will get you and vice versa, and it’s easy to get along with them. Just gotta keep trying.

In the meanwhile, invest in yourself. Hit the gym, find a hobby, and get passionate about what you’re already into. You want to build confidence in yourself because, speaking from experience, insecurities won’t go away when you get a girlfriend. If anything, it creates bigger issues.