Dating in Mumbai has been quite an experience—basically a circus. When I moved here, I had such high expectations; I thought I would find my dream man, my soulmate. But oh boy, I was so wrong and just ended up with two heartbreaks.
My first breakup occurred when I matched with this cute guy about a year ago. We texted back and forth and liked each other, so we decided to meet. I had my very first kiss with him—it was amazing! I felt butterflies in my stomach. We agreed to see each other, but it was more of a “situationship” than a relationship. A month went by, and we had a fight, which led us to call it quits for a day or two. We got back together, but then I got dumped a week before my exams started. The funny thing is that we are still good friends to this day.
The next guy I really liked a lot; we met on Hinge and instantly hit it off. We exchanged numbers and texted a lot. Texts turned to calls, and then finally we met for our first date at McDonald’s. We had an amazing first date and talked for hours. He even came to my college to meet me. I started to fall for him; it felt wonderful. But then we had a fight, and I kept blaming myself, repeatedly asking if he liked me. He told me to meet him at McDonald’s.
It was a Monday, and the sky was gloomy. There he was, the boy who would break my heart. I was so happy to see him, thinking we would talk it out and go back to the way things were, but I was wrong. He said he just wanted to be friends. When I heard the word “friends,” I was completely heartbroken. I just stood up and walked off. I don’t know why it was sudden; I let my intrusive thoughts get the best of me. Outside, it was raining, and I just stood near the entrance, thinking whether I should go back or head home. I decided to go in and talk to him to ask why. After that, I returned home heartbroken.
We stayed friends for a couple of months, but I ended the friendship about a month ago; I just couldn’t bear the pain. I do regret it, but I felt I had to do it to move on. Since then, I have not dated anyone. I do go on dates, but nothing more.
Dating can be fun, scary, sad, etc. From my experiences above, what I’ve learned is that dating is a mixed experience so far. It’s a journey of self-discovery and exploration; you find out your likes and dislikes. Every connection you make teaches you something new that you never knew—a lesson to remember, something about yourself, about love, etc. Through my ups and downs, I’ve learned to lower and manage my expectations when it comes to dating. We all want a fairytale ending in our relationships, but we need to understand that it’s just a fantasy in our heads. Relationships are not just about what you want but also about finding someone whose goals align with yours.
To my readers, I want to say: don’t give up. Take the chance to explore, make mistakes, but learn from them. Dating can be a rollercoaster of emotions, but it is also a journey filled with lessons, growth, and moments that make it worthwhile.
