It has become apparent that

In order to have a successful, long-term relationship, you must have sex with the person you're dating within the first two weeks of knowing that person; otherwise, your relationship will crumble and be plagued with many problems. Dragging the relationship longer than two weeks without having intercourse is, apparently, only dooming the relationship and is a waste of time. Not that sex solves all relationship problems, but, perhaps, if you get that experience "out of the way" early into the relationship, you can spend the rest of your time together learning about and falling in love with each other? Or maybe, if, you've already known each other for 14 days and are still unable to decide whether the person you're dating is worth the time, effort, and devotion that oftentimes comes with sexual relationships, it's a definite sign that they aren't and are never going to be?

From my observations, it seems that nearly all of my friends (98% of them?) who are in a "successful, HAPPY, LOVING, serious long-term romantic relationship," (i.e., have been together over a year and/or are now engaged or married, and are [key words, here] THRIVING), their relationships all share a common start:

1.) They meet each other.

2.) They go on a date within days meeting each other.

3.) Within a week and a half of that first date (two weeks after the initial meeting), they're screwing each other.

4.) Three months later, they've moved in together.

5.) Next thing you know (as they've both disappeared and isolated themselves from all friends after Week 2 of the relationship), a year(+) has passed, and they're now engaged.

6.) And so on.

I've seen this cycle, or pattern, rather, to be true more and more as time passes, as more of my friends fall into "serious" relationships and get married. It's weird. It makes me feel incredibly old watching my friends go on into what I think of as "full-fledged adulthood." Like I will be stuck here in a young adult/early adulthood limbo, until I can figure this all out. It also makes me feel a little old fashioned. I'M NOT READY TO DEAL WITH ANY OF THIS!

Perhaps this is how college romances are supposed to work? And, because I am/have been unable to live/date in such a way, I have, am, and will always be unable to have a "successful, long-term relationship." Until I am able to surrender my emotions and body in such a liberal manner--within fourteen days of knowing that person!--will I be able to move onto that next stage of romantic(?) maturity in life. Would I ever be able to make myself change to conform with such norms? Or is it: Until I meet that person who makes me want to fall into the pattern described above will I have found someone with whom I am honestly capable of being in a serious, long-term relationship? I'm not really sure. But something tells me that I'm never going to be able to change myself to fit any kind of mold. I'm not very good at fitting in with... anything.

Never really have been.

Thinking about this stuff, in addition to grad school apps, the possibility of my parents moving, sifting through career prospects, and figuring out what I want to do with my life, has left me feeling emotionally exhausted and full of regret. I also wish I could redo college again, with all that I know now about life (so far). Now, that, would be a real trip.

I haven't felt so lost in a long time.