Everyone does it. Shouldn't I? - Wan

Wan was in his thirties and in a mid-career transition, completing a diploma in a new field. His classmates were mostly in their late teens or early twenties.

Through randomly assigned group work, he formed a clique with three other girls. They were friendly and welcoming, and Wan was grateful for their company.

As he was seeking a long-term partner, his more experienced newfound friends guided him onto virtual dating platforms. "This is how people meet now," they assured him.

When a girl he was chatting with requested private pictures, Wan hesitated. This felt uncomfortable.

His friends told him this was common practice. "Everyone does it. You should do it too."

Not wanting to be seen as an oddball, Wan negotiated for less provocative photographs. He sent her faceless photographs of the agreed-upon body parts.

When the girl began sexting, Wan felt his discomfort deepen. He mentioned this to his friends.

They laughed at him. "This is common in the dating world. You need to loosen up."

Wan attempted sexting. But in the midst of an intense session late at night, he was unable to continue. It felt wrong. He couldn't go through with it.

He apologised heavily to the girl.

She was furious. She scolded him harshly, telling him he was a conservative wimp who would never find a partner. "You're wasting my time. No wonder you're single at your age."

The messages kept coming, each one cutting deeper.

Wan sat staring at his phone, feeling humiliated and small. He felt like he was a failure. Too old, too conservative, too inexperienced to navigate modern dating.

His friends' laughter echoed in his mind.
Had he been naive? Was this really how everyone dated now?