Konnichiwa~ I'm starburst. It's lovely to meet you.

Lately I've been feeling a lot of self-doubt about my worth as a person. I don't want to sound petty (and I hope I don't come across as such) but I've never experienced love before. Romantic love that is. With how much common relationships are nowadays, single people can feel alone. They can feel lonelier than ever.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not hating on love and couples and having a 'partner'.

But, with how everyone around you has (or had) someone, it really makes you think whether there's something wrong with you as a person. Whether there's something you're lacking as a person.

My family is great. My friends are great. And I have no complaints about my acquaintances and peers. But to feel a romantic connection with someone is a different feeling, one I long to feel next time.

It's sad that I feel this way, or maybe others feel this way too, but your mind can't help but think this way.

I guess it is true that people cannot go for long without longing dor human connection.

Hi starbust.

I definitely feel this way, too. I've never been in a relationship either, and I'll be turning 20 this month. Most of the time I don't care, and I believe that it'll just happen when it happens someday. But sometimes I feel like I'm progressing too slowly, and like maybe there's just something inherently underisable about me. And I hate how the feeling just sort of creeps up on me whenever I feel lonely, or whenever my friends tell me about their partners or the people they're talking to.

I remember the first time I was cat-called. I think I was 18. Until then I'd never really been paid attention to by men, but all my other female friends had grotsque stories of being harassed by men on the street. So when I was cat-called, I remember feeling nervous and uncomfortable, but after I got away from the man I felt a tiny hint of relief. Like, oh thank god, so it's actually possible for someone to find me attractive. When I think about that nowadays, I feel unsettled and kind of digsuested that I found relief in being objectified by a stranger. But like you said, I guess a lot of us kind of just crave connection, and that was the closest I really got.

Let's take it at our own pace, though. We haven't experienced romance but that doesn't mean we're worth less than anyone else. I wish I had the words to comfort you about it better than that, but I'm kind of stuck in the same boat lol.

Honestly? There's no reason to rush. Just wait until the time comes.
When I was in high school, as soon as I got out of a relationship, I got right into another. It wasn't healthy and I messed up quite a few friendships by doing that. It wasn't until I stopped looking for a relationship that I found someone who was right for me, and I'm lucky that I found him so soon in my life.

One of my sisters is almost 17 and she has never been in a relationship and she's very content with that. She's more focused on setting up her future. She's a very bright girl. She has mentioned that it'd be nice to be in a relationship, but if it happens, it happens; if it doesn't, it doesn't.

It seems like in today's society, everyone is expected to have a romantic relationship. But not everyone needs or wants one. There's a lot of unnecessary pressure to have a partner. I fell into that pressure and I do regret it and wish I would have waited until I was actually ready.

Just keep going at your own pace. If you want a romantic relationship, you'll find one someday and the wait will be well worth it. And if you one day decide you don't actually want one, that's also okay! There's no right way of navigating life. It'll always be unique to you.

And just know, a partner isn't a solution to the feeling of loneliness. I still get that feeling all the time. But you just gotta stop and think about all the people who you have in your life. Even if you feel lonely, you're not alone.