Hi Sabrina,

Age only matters when you’re very young or very old.

I think it would be better (socially) if you date him when you’re out of college or at least 22 or 23. Why? Because There would be no power dynamic. You don’t want him (or anyone else) to assume (even subconsciously) that he is taking advantage of you or is the dominant one the relationship. If you date him at 22 when he’s 28 no one would blink an eye.

I dated someone older than me at your age (he was late 20s), and people felt threatened by me as well. “This man should be married with children and this student just swoops in!” It’s kind of like him giving the finger to women his own age.

You’re not in love with him yet, so what I would do is keep him as a friend for a few years until it no longer matters. (If you’re writing for people’s opinions on the internet, it clearly matters in that it bothers you that it bothers people.)

Best,

Inky