Down Again

[Shadow90]

In March, I will have been single for a year since my first relationship. In a year, I've dug myself out of a really bad depression. I finally have my school stuff in order and I'm expecting to get my Bachelor degree in Marketing in Spring 2013. But I'm still having issues. I've had a chance with two girls since then and its all gone down the toilet. To make matters worse, my parents have become ultra controling. They wont let me go out and I do is go to work and then do work around the house. I try to go out but they say I can't because I lost their trust while I was in my last relationship cause I spent too much money. And if I do go out, I have to be home by 11pm! Who at the age of 20 wants to hang out with someone who has over controling parents and cant be out later then 11pm?

I've had to take up hobbies at home. I usually keep to myself in my room and try and learn something. Like I've learned fencing(sport fencing) and trying to learn a little dance and I've been writing and drawing. But I feel so isolated. I missed out on a tons of fun socializing with people in high school, now I've just about missed out on college. How in the world am I going to do this in the real world? I feel better about myself. But feel like I'm trapped and lifes passing by without me and theres nothing I can do about it. My friends tell me I should focus on meeting people rather then looking for a girlfriend. But how can I do that when I don't get to meet people?

[Katrina]

A Bachelors in Marketing? Awesome! I'm minoring in Marketing, and I'm super excited about it. I'll actually graduate in 2013 too - are you enjoying your major? Are you minoring in anything? Anyway, I digress; back on topic.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been in a bit of a slump lately. However, I truly do think (and I'm not just saying) that, given your situation, there CAN be much, much better days ahead. I mean, check out the situation - regardless of your family/home life/curfew, you ARE in college. College = ENDLESS opportunities to meet people! You mentioned that you've started taking up fencing and a little bit of dance...have you checked into whether there's anything you can do with that on campus? I've been in the process of starting an Intramural Dance Crew League and my own university, and let me just say, its something people wouldn't expect there to be on our campus, but it might happen in the near future! I say that to say that sometimes, if you dig a little deeper, you can REALLY find activities that are pretty neat and are really going to be a great outlet for you to meet people.

Also, I'm sure you know this from Marketing, but networking. Networking is everything. I think that most of the people I've gone out with date-wise, I met them through friends..and friends of friends. So, hey, find your core group of friends and work outwards from there. There's enough love in the world to go around to where I'm sure your friends wouldn't mind introducing you to THEIR friends. (:

I've found that, while living the single life, its REALLY important to NOT focus on the single life. Focus on everything great about it - the fact that you're not under any commitment and that you can go on dates with multiple people and just kind of see where things go, but yeah, I agree with your friends - don't always be actively looking for relationships...that's going to make things complicated!

In the mean time, hang in there. (: