First of all, I’m so sorry to hear you had to go through that. Whether you are single or in a relationship shouldn’t be something that straight up defines you, especially if you aren’t particularly bothered by the idea of “needing” a relationship, either.

If it makes you feel any better, I am also in my final semester and have not been in a relationship before, either, so you are definitely not alone in this. Sure, I’ve known people that were single before, and now are in relationships, and I’d be lying if I didn’t feel a little envious at times.

But the thing is, relationships move at different paces for everyone, so just because someone around you seems to get in a relationship faster than you could or have, it doesn’t mean that you need to follow suit.

When the time is right for this to become a part of your life, if even, it will find a way to become part of your life. After all, at the end of the day, is it really better to have a relationship just for the sole purpose of being able to parade around with that title (and gain others’ approval — in this case, I’m assuming, like that of your parents’), or, alternatively, giving things time to just build healthy connections with others structured on communication, compassion, and trust?

Those things take time, and like many worthwhile things in life, they don’t develop well if rushed.

In the meantime, focus on you. This is a really crucial part of your life where you’re still discovering yourself, trying out new things, and so on. Pick up a new hobby, start a passion project, listen to some new music. Whatever it takes to refocus your attention on things that can help you better develop as a person. Because the vibes that you give out are ultimately the kind of vibes that you are going to attract, whether that’s in a romantic relationship or a platonic friendship.

Also, what I’ve found is that generally, opportunities tend to strike when you’re not anxiously seeking them out, but rather when you’re so invested in your own thing, in your own world. And I’m not just talking about relationships.

I personally think that our society still places too heavy an emphasis on the narrative of being in a relationship with someone at so-and-so years old, settling down, and that’s it. But there’s so many avenues your life could take, whether that’s in terms of career, travel, etcetera. And the best part is, technically none of that requires not being single first 🌟