Love yourself before you can love somebody else is every single person’s motto. Believe it or not, in my 18 years of life, I’ve never dated before. No, it wasn’t about my parents not allowing me to, it wasn’t because of my religion being conservative, and it definitely wasn’t because of my culture. To this day, everybody thinks I lie about not having had a boyfriend before.
“Well, have you ever kissed a guy before?” is a common question I’ve been asked and the answer is no, I have never kissed a guy before. After all of this, another question arises.
“Well are you lesbian?” No, I JUST HAVEN’T DATED BEFORE. I don’t understand why it’s so hard to believe that a single girl can exist.
I have had my fair share of liking boys all throughout high school, but I’ve never had the guts to tell them that I had feelings for them. It used to make me depressed thinking that all of my friends have at least had their first kiss or dated before. Peer pressure is one of the biggest factors which made me think that I wasn’t good or beautiful enough for guys to like me. Throughout high school, I used to beat myself up for being “ugly” and assuming that boys didn’t see me as a girlfriend and ending up in the “friendzone.”
Fast forward to college, I’m still single. What a shocker. If I don’t make the first move, I’m not going to get any guy.
Well, that is partially true, but that’s not the point. Just because you’re 18 or however old doesn’t mean that you NEED a boyfriend or a significant other. I’m a firm believer about the right timing and that there is someone perfect like Channing Tatum suited for everyone.
In a technology dominated world, you need immense self-esteem and love for yourself. There are going to be times when you think that you’re not worth it compared to other girls due to physical beauty or emotional intelligence. But newsflash, EVERYBODY has some sort of flaw.
If you can’t fall in love with your flaws, then you can’t expect a guy to fall in love with them, either. It’s important to realize that waiting for the right guy is better than rushing into any relationship just to satisfy society’s expectations. Or stay single, that’s even better.
Being a single girl is an empowering feeling which enables you to conquer the world and move forward as a feminist. It’s not something to be embarrassed or ashamed of.
So, what’s the moral of the story, you may ask?
You don’t have to view single life as being lonely and empty, but instead you can think of it as being in a relationship with yourself. Teenage years can be overwhelming with finding your interests and passions, which are things you should focus on. Fall in love with your body, mind, and soul to be happy because nobody else can fill that void.
*This is dedicated to my best friend, Maria.