<human>: Can you summarize the given text in a few sentences?

So, yeah, this is a long one. I'm a 24 year old former Marine going to college after serving a term of 5 years active duty. Sad to say, I never really had/needed a major relationship during my tour of duty, but it was never really a problem with me; I had video games, and I was underage until right before my second trip to Iraq, so I couldn't go to the bar and meet anyone. Plus, most female Marines either had someone back home, or could usually find their pick from the base.

So, after a little synopsis of my life up until two years ago, here we are. I've always been pretty chatty, not too shy, and I even work as a salesman to help pay my bills while I'm going to school (and I'm not half-bad either). A lot of girls have described me as "nice" or "cuddly". I also gained a lot of weight after I left the service, so some even call me "squishy teddy bear". I'm guessing that they see me as more of a friend than anything, because I'm friendly and nice to them, instead of being quiet and cool like a lot of guys I've seen.

I usually dress pretty sloppy too; jeans and a t-shirt with Chuck T sneakers, and a synthetic jacket on chilly days.

So, I'm curious, my fellow Redditors: where am I going wrong trying to attract a girlfriend? I think I'm trying too hard without putting out a lot to really attract someone, but I'm also not very sure about it, since all women are attracted to different things in men, just like all men are attracted to different women. I'd really like some advice on what I should be doing to show women that I don't want to be friends anymore; that I'm looking for someone to be emotionally and physically close to, but the women I pick keep shunting me into the friendzone after a few months. Am I not being forward enough with them?

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<bot>: I'm sick of getting put in the friendzone by women, but I'm not sure what to do to stay out of it. What should I do?</b>