u/FlakyConversation190

Are you satisfied with your current salary and career path, or do you feel stuck/regretful/wanting something different? Also, was your degree actually useful for the career you ended up in?

Would love to hear honest experiences from women across different fields and age groups.

Today my guy friend said one of the strangest things to me. We were talking about clothes, and I mentioned how my parents are strict and don’t really let me wear anything too fancy or fitted. Then he suddenly said, “Your future husband will be lucky.”

I was confused and asked, “How does that even connect?”

Then he started explaining that because my parents are strict, I think before I do things, don’t wear revealing clothes, and basically have “good morals.” He also said that even after I start earning and get freedom, my parents have “engrained those morals” into me so I “wouldn’t do anything wrong.” And then he specifically called me “pure.”

At that moment I was too confused to respond, so I just let it go. But later I kept thinking about it and honestly...what was he trying to imply?

Because strict parents don’t automatically make someone “pure.” If anything, strict parents can sometimes raise really good liars. I know I’m capable of doing things I’ve never done before, but most of the time I simply choose not to because I don’t want trouble while I still live with them and partly because of my anxiety and overthinking.

And mind you, I’m 20. I’ve never dated, not because I’m some innocent person with no thoughts or freedom, but because I wanted something serious instead of casual. That was my choice. (if I wanted i could've done all the stuff without my parents getting a suspicious)

So when he called me “pure,” what exactly was he trying to say? That women who wear what they want, date freely, or live independently are somehow “impure”? Because that’s honestly how it sounded to me, and it feels disrespectful toward women who choose to live life on their own terms.

Dear S,

We met on the very first day of college and somehow, a random girl I bumped into became someone I trusted like a sister. That’s what hurts the most, you weren’t just another friend to me.

I stayed through every fight, every disrespect, every joke you made about the things I trusted you with. I ignored all of it because I was terrified of losing you. But while I was trying to save this friendship, you slowly started treating me like I was disposable.

Reading those texts about me broke something inside me. I cried through the night, messed up my exam the next day, and still saw you laughing around like none of it mattered. Meanwhile, I was having anxiety attacks over the thought of losing someone I genuinely loved like family.

And honestly? The most ironic part is that I never begged a guy to stay in my life, but I begged you for a friendship. Those voice notes where I kept asking if you even cared about me anymore still embarrass me to this day. I sounded pathetic, and somehow your replies still managed to be colder than my fear of losing you.

You said I was “insensitive,” but you never even tried talking to me before pulling away. People don’t abandon someone they care about like that.

You changed something in me permanently. I don’t think I’ll ever trust friendships the same way again. I’ll never let myself become this attached to someone again just to end up feeling this replaceable.

The saddest part is, I still can’t hate you. Because once upon a time, you really were my sister.

I hope one day someone makes you feel exactly the way you made me feel. Maybe then you’ll finally understand why this broke me so badly.

Goodbye.