I don’t think it’s a bad thing, and I wouldn’t call it a “rite of passage.”
It seems like our culture has historically put a lot of emphasis on relationships. For example, one of my older friends (Gen X) used to be treated like he was broken or pitiful because he was single into his thirties. There has been a cultural shift toward the acceptability of singleness, which is much healthier in my opinion.
And on an anecdotal level, I think people are smart to wait until they’re older. I made a lot of regrettable mistakes in my younger relationships that I would not have made had I waited a bit. Not saying that nobody should have relationships when they’re young, but no one should be pressured into it.
I’ve had friends legit pity me because I’m a virgin at 27. Like, I struggled with sexuality for most of my adult life, only figuring out I am gay after 3 boyfriends. I’m not in a rush to get a gf or have sex.
Now my closest group of friends bully me in a friend way about being single and it’s hilarious because they don’t actually pity me or whatever. They respect me and all that and the jokes are just fun between us all.
I don’t think it’s a bad thing, and I wouldn’t call it a “rite of passage.”
It seems like our culture has historically put a lot of emphasis on relationships. For example, one of my older friends (Gen X) used to be treated like he was broken or pitiful because he was single into his thirties. There has been a cultural shift toward the acceptability of singleness, which is much healthier in my opinion.
And on an anecdotal level, I think people are smart to wait until they’re older. I made a lot of regrettable mistakes in my younger relationships that I would not have made had I waited a bit. Not saying that nobody should have relationships when they’re young, but no one should be pressured into it.
I’ve had friends legit pity me because I’m a virgin at 27. Like, I struggled with sexuality for most of my adult life, only figuring out I am gay after 3 boyfriends. I’m not in a rush to get a gf or have sex.
Now my closest group of friends bully me in a friend way about being single and it’s hilarious because they don’t actually pity me or whatever. They respect me and all that and the jokes are just fun between us all.