M22. I would really like to find a girlfriend. Her appearance and age don’t matter to me at all (I’m open to a very wide range, from 18 to 40). I just want to be loved. I dream of building a life together, having cozy evenings, spending time side-by-side—I want to feel someone’s loving gaze upon me. I crave physical, tactile connection.

I’ve been in relationships before, but they were purely platonic. I have no experience living with a girlfriend, and I am still a virgin. Furthermore, each of those past relationships felt like a godsend to me.

I am a socially active person; my hobbies include historical reenactment, board games, voice acting, and involvement in social and political activities.

I have tried various approaches to dating, but nothing seems to work. One recurring mistake I’ve identified is my inability to find the right balance between showing initiative and being intrusive. Too little initiative leads straight to the friend zone, while too much initiative causes a womans to lose interest and reject me.

Right now, I am in a very emotionally low state. I have become hyper-fixated on finding a relationship. I find myself envying couples I see on the street, as well as friends who are married, living with their partners, or planning to get married.

I’m not sure how this subreddit might be able to help me. I probably just need to vent. That said, if there are any women among the members here who are also chronically lonely ("femcels"), I’d be open to getting to know one another and chatting.