Why Being A Hopeless Romantic In A Hookup Culture Is A Special Kind Of Hell

You get jealous whenever you see couples and excessive PDA whenever you go out. You roll your eyes at the cuteness but secretly wish it was you instead of her.

I’ve been single for almost two years now, and let me tell you—the dating culture today seriously blows. It makes me want to gouge my eyes out. I’d rather deal with the loneliness than have to go on another date from hell and listen to guy brag about his size for an hour and how well he knows how to use it.

By the time I learn about your package size, chances are I really don’t care because then I know all you’re interested is in sex. I’ve abstained from sex for almost two years now and refuse to settle until someone truly blows me away. (It could be the other way, but hey, you get my bad joke.)

I have to admit—I am the worst hopeless romantic out there. I truly believe that we all have our soul mate, our twin flame. What sucks about today’s dating culture is that romance is dead. All the guy thinks about is the easiest friends-with-benefits situation he can find or the easiest way to bed a girl and then disappear. What happened to flowers? Pulling a girl’s chair out? Cute first dates that don’t involve just grabbing a coffee? Isn’t stargazing still a thing?

I remember when a guy used to court the girl he was seeing. That’s when you would know the connection was real because there was no physical intimacy at all until they got married. Which seems a little far-fetched these days, and I would hate to be babysat on dates, but at least that’s how you knew the guy was committed about you and wanted you for the long run.

I think the worst part about being single is getting jealous whenever I see cute couples in the streets. I often wonder to myself, “When the hell is it my turn? Is Prince Charming stuck in a tree? Someone get that poor idiot a map!” All of my friends suggest Tinder or dating apps. Believe me when I say I’ve tried them ALL, and the dates just keep getting worse. I once had a guy tell me he loved me on a first date, and I NOPED the F out of there. I felt bad, but I know a red flag when I see one. That wasn’t romantic; that was just desperate and creepy.

I want the type of connection where everything is balanced. You’re best friends and lovers. You’re each other’s yin and yang, and you know you’re his missing puzzle piece. Everything just falls together when you’re together, and you wouldn’t want it any other way.

I guess what I’m trying to get at is, to all of my fellow single hopeless romantic ladies out there, I’m with you. Don’t settle just because you’re lonely. The right guy will come when he’s supposed to, or in our cases when the idiot falls out of his tree he’s stuck in. It took me a while to get to this point, but don’t settle for anything less than you deserve. You’re worth it.