23 and lack experience, but this thread has provided valuable insight and some stuff for me to reflect on. It's interesting - I always approach life as a realist, I don't like to pull the wool over my eyes. But at the same time, I refuse to be in the position of 'it'll never happen, I'll end it all if I get to 30'. I've been there before and won't ever go down that road again.
But after reading many replies and people's accounts, I do feel like I need to get my act together. So what's stopping me?:
Lack of experience - maybe. I grew up an only child so being on my own doesn't bother me too much. Lack of companionship does - if I didn't have good friends, then I'd be more worried about relationship stuff.
I recently qualified in my profession and have jumped straight onto a postgrad course for the next 2 years.
Got a long term creative project in the works as well.
Even though I worked hard to get over past social awkwardness and am now articulate with good social skills, there's some weird mental block about going out sometimes. Probably just shyness. That and sometimes I don't even know if I'm asexual. Time will tell.
So yeah, I still have a lot of stuff to get into place. There's nothing sexy about not having your shit together, so I always advocate that above all else.
The main thing I've gained from my past and reading this thread is the sheer mental fortitude required to go 'up against it' so to speak. There's always going to be that resistance against never having been in a relationship from others, but screw that. If someone doesn't even want to stick around long enough to find out why or get to know you, then you're better off ditching. Easy for me to say, hard to put into practice on the spot.
Basically, all of you that are worried (and it may sound weird coming from me), but don't sweat it. Just keep trying and you'll get there - and if not? At least you had fun. But always have something that you can do on your own first - it pays to have a hobby/long term project to keep you going. It certainly helps me while I'm making sacrifices to my social life atm.
I hope everyone here who is feeling a bit down finds someone eventually - all the best and never give up/settle :)