Even My 10-Year-Old Sister Has More Game Than Me

Even My 10-Year-Old Sister Has More Game Than Me

Valentine’s Day is coming, and for the first time, I’m not in school. No friends to joke around with, no side conversations in class about secret admirers or last-minute love letters. Just me, at home. Unemployed😬—but I will get a job, Amen.🙏🏿

And yet, as I sit here, the weirdest realization hits me. I have never been on a date. Never had a guy look at me like I was the best thing since sliced bread. Never had that emotional connection—the kind where someone texts you “good morning” and suddenly, your entire day is made. Not physically, but emotionally, you know? And here’s the real kicker: my 10-year-old sister, a literal child, already has three Valentines. Three.😱

I remember being in primary school, watching my classmates receive love letters while my desk stayed empty. Every year, I told myself, “Next time, it’ll be different.” But next time never came. I finished primary school with the same number of admirers I started with: zero. And now, I look around and see my younger siblings, my little cousins—even kids who still sleep with stuffed animals—getting asked out. Meanwhile, I am here, realizing that I won’t have a Valentine. No boyfriend, no crush, not even a random guy texting me, “Hey, can I get your number?” Just me, in my room, watching Nigerian movies where men fall in love dramatically, flirt like it’s their life’s mission, and find a way to make even the simplest conversations feel like poetry.💔

I look at my life and see the same routine: laundry, cooking, cleaning, looking after my siblings. A 19-year-old girl, an introvert who lacks social skills, who avoids gatherings, runs from greetings, and dodges any situation where she might have to socialize. Not because I hate people—but because I overthink everything. What if I greet someone weirdly? What if I embarrass myself? What if I just look… awkward?

Or maybe—just maybe—I've had opportunities and didn’t even realize it. Maybe my grumpy face has scared away potential admirers. Maybe I’ve been avoiding people so much that they just assume I don’t want to be bothered. Or maybe it’s something else. Maybe it’s the way I see myself, knowing my teeth need braces, knowing that when I look in the mirror, I don’t always like what I see.😥

Either way, Valentine's Day will come, and I will be exactly where I am now. No flowers, no chocolates, no surprise texts. Just me, watching the world around me get caught up in romance while I sit on the sidelines.

But hey, Happy Valentine’s Day to all.❤️