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Dear All Work, No Love
It seems like there is a lot on your mind right now. Watching your friends as they start to date can make you think that it is something everyone should be doing. But before you make any decisions, it's important you think about whether you even want to date someone, and whether the timing is right.
Start by asking yourself this: is there someone you want to spend time with? If nobody pops into your mind, perhaps that means dating ls not on your radar. And that's okay. Remember that you shouldn't date someone just because you're lonely, or because you want to fit in.
Relationships shouldn't be forced. Cultivating a healthy one takes time, and it requires genuine care for the other person. If you don't have these emotions for someone, you may end up hurting your partner and yourself in the process.
In every stage of life, you will feel like you need to follow certain "expectations". Now, it's dating. In the future, it might be something else - the "right" path to choose in university, or the "perfect" time to get married and start a family.
So this dilemma is preparing you for questions you might face in the future. But ultimately, you are in charge of your life - you don't need to do what society expects.
If you are feeling lonely because your friends are spending time with their significant others, remember that real friends will make time for you. Focus on building friendships where you feel valued even if your friends are dating.
It can also be good to be more independent from your social circle. Maybe try a new hobby, read those books you've been hoping to get to, spend time with your family, and practise self-care.
On another note, if you are catching feelings for someone and think you might be ready to date, timing is also important. You mentioned that your public exams are coming up, so think about whether you have the time to invest in another person.
You don't want to be so distracted from your studies that you end up doing poorly on your public exams, nor do you want to neglect the person you are dating because you need to focus on school.
Use your experiences to decide if you are ready to balance dating with studying. Were you easily stressed in the past when you had important exams to prepare for? Are you usually able to focus on work you need to finish, without getting distracted? Whatever you decide, the most important thing is to not put pressure on yourself.
For more information about dating, visit the websites below:
Hope this helps, Friend of a Friend
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