I’ve heard a couple of people here mention that they’ve never been in a relationship before and it got me curious… how many of you have never been in a romantic relationship before?
Female, 35. I’ve always been very introverted and would consider myself asexual. My job involves working with the public all day long and so during my time off I’d really rather just be alone to decompress.
Define romantic relationship.
Male, 37. Only one, but one is enough!
Joe
I’m a gay male and never had one. Not for lack of trying but I guess it’s just the luck of the draw in my case.
I’m a 32 year old straight male and I’ve never been in a relationship. I’m not ugly (look me up in the SDMB portrait gallery and judge for yourself.) I’m just pathologically shy and introverted. I’m getting better. Just look at my SDMB posting: under my old name, I posted about 900 times in 9+ years; in less than a year as Invisible Chimp, I’ve posted about 400 times. Even if I got those issues under control, which I’m a long way from doing, I currently don’t have a lot to offer a relationship: I’m broke, unemployed, living with my mom again, sexually inexperienced, with no close friends, and no interesting hobbies. I’m afraid I’ll just have to accept it will never happen for me.
Invisible Chimp - there’s hope, man, honestly. Everyone goes through unemployed/living with Mom patches - I did, and I got better. You will too. As for the relationship thing - look, I’d have been checking in as a 27-year-old with no relationship experience a few months ago. Now, I’m not.
Things change. I know it sucks to hear it, and this probably isn’t the first time you have, but they really do. Get a job, hit up a local singles’ night, and try talking to some women. Don’t be afraid to talk about things you’re interested in, even if they’re nerdy - just talk about them with warmth and humor, with an eye out to make sure you aren’t genuinely boring the woman you’re talking to.
Finally - dude, if you’re a reasonable-looking guy, and you dress well, women will walk up to you and introduce themselves at these singles things. Honestly, I swear it happens. If you don’t have any actual fashion sense (and I certainly don’t), just dress business-casual (no tie!) in clean, pressed clothes.
Oh - and this is the real last point: Try speed-dating. Yes, it’s a little cheesy, and it can be sort of a mess if poorly run. But the hardest thing, for me, is always starting up a conversation with a woman. With speed-dating, you’re required to start a conversation - you don’t need to worry that you’re intruding, or being rude, or anything like that. Give it a shot.
Straight female, 50 years old. I guess OFFICIALLY I have been in 2 relationships but they were back in high school, so too long ago to count, to me.
I sometimes get very, very lonely and wish I could find someone, but have given up the hope and accepted I am going to be alone the rest of my life.
Male, 45, almost one relationship, but I selected “never” in the poll.
Not sure why, exactly; ask me in a month and you’ll get a different answer. In general, I just have no idea what other people think of me. I can’t tell if I’m boring the pants off someone or keeping them on the edge of their seats. Women could be throwing themselves at me and I would honestly never know. Of the ones I’ve thrown myself at, none have been interested.
Or come to a Boston dopefest one of these days and judge for yourself.
I’m up for a Boston dopefest! I was out of town for the last one.
I’m a 20 year old gay male and I’ve never been in a relationship, but the thought of it holds no attraction to me right now. I’m not like, fundamentally opposed to the concept, I just don’t want it. I’d rather be selfish and just worry about me at this point in my life, sort of some of my individual issues out and then entertain the prospect of a relationship a few years down the line.
In, been in a relationship. Somedays it fuckin’ hurts. Not sure if that counts.
…and if it does, f-ck me if I’d ever want two.
I’m out of town at the moment. In fact, you could have a dopefest now and I might be back by the times we’re due for the next one.
I would have never guessed that about you.
28 year old straight male. I just enjoy being by myself. Admittedly, while I haven’t been told so, I consider myself quite controlling and being alone feeds that need perfectly. I can do whatever the hell I want, whenever the hell I want to do it. I don’t have to compromise with anybody (the thermostat is at whatever I want it to be! ;), don’t have to justify anything anybody, or worry about anybody else.
This too. I don’t want to talk about how my day was. I want a good beer and silence.
We should go get a beer. 
If your location information is up-to-date, then you don’t live that far away really.
34 yo straight guy. never been, probably never will be. I’m not much to look at and no fun to be with.
I’m not sure whether I qualify. I’ve had girlfriends, but that was more like friends who flirted with each other and cuddled a bit. There was never the deeper sort of thing I associate with a relationship.
The closest was when we were 14, but that was very puppy love, and all we ever did was admit we liked each other, so does that really count? I mean, to this day, when she’s single she’ll tell me she has some feelings for me, but neither of us ever take it anywhere. (And before you tell me I should try, she’s not currently single.)
- No. I just don’t want one. I’m attractive enough and can be friendly when I feel like it, but I lack the drive to sustain a relationship–whether it be friendship or anything else–for a long period of time. Everytime I socialize, which I’m pretty good at doing, I feel like a huge fake. I just prefer being alone and doing things on my schedule, in my own way.
It only bothers me when someone brings it up and makes a big deal out of it, as in telling me that it’s something I should work on or that I should get “checked out”. I am trying to work on letting people in enough to form friendships, but that hasn’t progressed very far. All I can do is be as kind and generous with people as I can. If that’s not enough for them, well, that’s their problem. Not mine.
40 plus male with several relationships. However there does not seem to be that option in the poll.