Coming out in a notoriously conservative town was a personal victory for “Virgin Territory“‘s Alec, a 21-year-old college student. And the fact that he found acceptance from friends and family was just icing on the cake.
All things considered, Alec has done remarkably well for himself: He owned up to his identity, sought out support from a nearby neighborhood group and hasn’t shied away from any potentially uncomfortable conversation with his curious straight friends. He even brought a couple of them along to a gay mixer to get his sea legs in the dating world and has made a tremendous effort to be forthcoming whenever possible.
The problem is, Alec, who never dated another man while in the closet, has been putting a ton of pressure on himself to nab a boyfriend, and the consequent anxieties have begun to work against him. In an honest conversation with his friends, he said he hasn’t had any luck with love on campus, so he turned to online dating, where he found a potential match but struggled with how to proceed. “I don’t know how to take the next step,” he said. “I don’t know how it works.”
Eventually, Alec worked up the nerve to ask out a 19-year-old named Corey with whom he’d been chatting, but when the big night finally came, Alec was a ball of nerves. Before long, he and Corey settled into a stride — and even shared a first-date kiss — but the thought of how to proceed thrust Alec back into his worry.
Considering Alec’s date was his first with a guy, and that he’s so newly open about his sexuality, it’s totally understandable that he’d have some reservations. But even Alec has admitted that all his second-guessing is getting the best of him — is he putting too much pressure on himself to meet a potential mate, or are his concerns just part of growing? Tell us what you think about his journey below.
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