I’m a 24 year old man who is a graduate student. I’ve been trying to date over the past couple of months, but I have been having some trouble finding dates. I’ve met some women, and not having a car seemed to be a turn off. In fact, one woman immediately unmatched me on tinder after I told her I didn’t have a car. (In her defence, I was running late for our date due to a meeting that ran too long and the bus running way behind schedule). In theory I would have a car, but I am paying down some student loans debt and my stipend is not very much.
Should I just stop dating if I don’t have a car? I live in a mid-size American city in the south, so public transport is not particularly good. The university bus system allows me to get to and from work and my bike allows me to go to some places around town. But most of the city is inacessable to me without an Uber or Lyft.
I feel very conflicted about this because I love what I do in school and I want to do it at the highest level. But at the same time, I really want to start dating. I’ve never had any success at dating and I don’t want my first chance of success to be when I graduate at 28 years old.