In theory, it’s possible to meet a potential future partner anywhere. However, there are some places you should avoid intentionally looking to meet someone, which are listed below. That’s not to say a successful relationship wouldn’t occur if you met someone at one of these locations; it just means things could become tricky and awkward if things didn’t work out between you.
Avoid looking for a date…
On the street you live
Dating a neighbour is convenient when it works, but you risk getting involved too deep too soon. Due to living so close to each other, you are likely to spend a lot of your time with them; more than you would if you lived further apart. You’ll also be able to see when they’re home, when they go out, what they get up to when you aren’t with them, who visits their house, etc. Also, they’ll be able to see when you’re home and what you get up to. There is no escaping them. For a healthy relationship to develop you need time apart to carry on with your normal life. If things don’t work out between you, you will be confronted with them on a regular basis, creating uncomfortable moments and unsettled feelings. You will be there to watch them move on with their life and see when they start dating new people, which can be uncomfortable and upsetting to watch.
At your doctor’s surgery or Hospital
People tend to be at these places either because they’re not well, or they’re with someone who is poorly, therefore they’re not appropriate locations to look for love. People are usually uneasy at these places and just want to get home; therefore looking to meet someone is generally the last thing on their mind at that time.
Bars and Clubs
Although bars and clubs tend to be one of the first places people go to find dates, they’re not the best place to look. With alcohol flowing, people are there to simply have a good time. You might enjoy yourself looking to meet someone, but often nothing develops. With loud music, people influenced by alcohol and flashing lights, there are many factors going against you if trying to find a potential person to date here.
At your child’s school
Dating a fellow single parent can become complicated, especially with children sharing the same school being involved. If things didn’t work out between you, you’d still see them every day dropping the kids off at school and picking them up. If other parents are aware of your relationship, it can cause playground gossip, causing you to feel uncomfortable whether things work out between you or not. Alternatively, dating a teacher at your child’s school can create issues. The last thing you want is for your child to feel awkward seeing your new partner at school every day. If you stop seeing each other, your child still has to face them every day and things could become difficult for them.
On your travels
Meeting people while on holiday or on a business trip may seem exciting at the time, but realistically it would take a lot of effort to turn it into something more permanent. It’s very unlikely you’ll both be from the same town, so the chances are you’d have to start a long-distance relationship if you wanted to continue seeing each other.
At the Gym
Sweaty and exhausted isn’t the best look to have when trying to impress someone. Also if you were to get together with someone from your gym and things don’t work out, you’ll find yourself trying to avoid them or even having to find a new gym so you don’t have to face them every time you want to work out.
At a funeral
A funeral is a very emotional time for everyone; therefore out of respect, it’s not the best place to be looking for someone to chat up.
At a concert
Although fellow concertgoers will share your passion and taste in music, it’s not the ideal place to get to know someone. With music blaring you’ll find it almost impossible to hear each other speak.
At work
Although meeting a partner at work can be a success, there’s a possibility it won’t work out and this is when it can get very awkward. Having to see each other every day at work after a breakup would become a nightmare. However, if things did work out, then it’ll have been worth the risk. Before asking out someone at work, make sure you’ve really thought about it and are prepared to deal with the consequences. Please see our articles; Advantages of dating a co-worker, Disadvantages of dating a co-worker and Dating a co-worker – How to make it work.
At a wedding
A wedding can bring a mixture of emotions. Although you’ll be celebrating a friend or relative getting married, you might be feeling a little envious wondering when you’re going to meet someone. Feeling down, you could make yourself vulnerable and risk getting taken advantage of at the wedding reception. You might just want to meet someone, anyone, just to make yourself feel better on that day, but you may end up regretting your actions the next day.