Greetings all and thanks for taking the time to read through this and respond, it’s greatly appreciated.
I am currently 18 years old, me and my former partner let things sizzle out after 2.5-3 years of a relationship. I wasn’t seeing the spark together that I used to and wanted to drop things without making a big deal among friends or family.
We meet in middle school as friends, and years later began dating in high school. Im not sure if there’s a stigma here surrounding teen relationships but let it be known we were happy and understood each other. Things were well, we shard many experiences together, even going as far as to vacation abroad with her family. We did a lot together, which made the breaking up process more awkward then I would have liked.
It’s been almost a year since the breakup and I know that I’m ready to move on, but my previous relationship lasting so long in my eyes left me unsure on how to continue. Sometimes I’m afraid I’ll let someone else down, not wanting a repeat of previous experiences. I understand three years might not be a lot compared to some older folk, but to someone my age it felt like forever.
In the end, my first real relationship was the longest I’ve ever had, and now being out of the social sphere of school, I haven’t been able to connect with any potential partners. I’ve felt isolated and unsure of how to continue. I know I’m ready to get back into the scene, but I am very shy, and unsure how to approach women my age without seeming weird or awkward. I consider myself fairly handsome, it’s purely a matter of dialectics that leave me nervous.
My question is this, how would you all recommend I make connections and find those who might be interested in me? What are some good ways to approach and casually talk to girls without coming off as weird or awkward, good places to do so etc..
If it helps, im into technology, fantasy and sci-fi, video games and such. These are my passions to which I’m unwavering. However I’m fairly open minded, and willing to try almost anything once.
I thank you all for your time, have a good day/night.
TLDR: Wanting to move on post longterm teenage breakup. Best ways to ask out women nicely, and good spaces to do so.