I completely agree. I didn’t have my first romantic relationship until I was 23 and I certainly wished I could have had an experience earlier, even if it meant having a three-month-long “relationship” in high school.

I think there’s a “sweet spot” when it comes to Best Age to Start Dating. Starting when you’re 13 is way too young, but starting at 23 is also pushing it at too old. I think around 16–20 is the perfect time to start experimenting with dating while, like you said, the stakes are still low.

However, I would also argue that just because you didn’t have a romantic relationship in your earlier years, doesn’t mean you miss out on all the relationship-training. We learn how to relate to and communicate with other humans through a myriad of different relationships. So while I had little experience navigating dating as a younger person, I had a good amount of experience navigating friendships and family relationships, which can be just as challenging.

So when I met my partner at age 23, I didn’t feel like I was immature or left behind. More than two years later, we’re still happily together :)