Meeting someone who could be a potential partner is one of the hardest aspects of dating, which is one of the main reasons people turn to online dating and use websites such as Completely Free Dating. If you prefer to meet people in the flesh, there are a number of locations giving you the opportunity to meet someone. Some of the locations listed below may seem a little obvious or a ridiculous meeting place, but you never know when you might bump into someone; where there are people, there’s a chance of meeting a potential date. Not all of these locations mentioned will suit everyone, it’s down to your personal preferences and opportunities, but even just one of these suggestions could make a difference and lead you to meet new people.
It’s often said that you can meet someone special when you’re not expecting it or when you don’t try too hard. Just be yourself and mingle with as many people as you can and be patient. Even by just making new friends could lead to you meeting the man or woman of your dreams. Friends have friends and it’s possible they’ll have a single friend or two who they could send in your direction. You can always ask a friend to join you when going out to meet new people.
Here are some suggestions where you could meet new people:
A bar
It might not be everyone’s preferred choice, but there’s sure to be other people in a bar. That’s not to say you have to go to alone, ask a friend or two to join you and simply go to a bar and enjoy yourself. Try to talk to at least one new person. Even if you don’t meet someone, it’ll have been a good night out with your friends.
Join a club
Maybe a book club or a gardening or astronomy club. Having an interest will give you something to talk about should meet someone there.
Attend a dance class
Regardless of your age, there are dance classes to suit all ages and abilities, such as salsa and ballroom. As well as meeting people, it will help to keep you active.
Host a singles party
Alternatively, ask a friend to host a singles party. Invite all your friends to come along and ask them to bring at least one single friend with them. Make sure there’ll be a mixture of men and women attending. Being at your house or a friend’s house should help you feel more relaxed and more confident to mingle with the guests.
Walk your dog
If you own a dog, try walking it somewhere that’s quite busy with other dog walkers. Your canine companion will help to break the ice should you come across someone you’re attracted to.
At work
It’s not always ideal, please see our article Dating a Co-Worker – How to make it work, but you spend a huge part of your day at work, so it’s possible you could become attracted to a colleague. Before even considering this, ensure the person you are interested in is single and check your employers dating policies.
Shopping
Try browsing in the opposite sex’s clothing department pretending you’re buying something for a relative and ask a stranger for advice. Even if all you gain is experience approaching somebody, it will help boost your confidence when approaching others to talk to. If this makes you feel uncomfortable, you could always look for a potential date while food shopping. Check out someone’s trolley or basket first to look for signs of them being single. If you notice a particular person looking at a product, you could try reaching for the same product and break the ice by commenting on how you like the item or ask them if they’ve tried it before. Regardless of whether you wish to purchase the product, having a reason to talk to a stranger is often easier than simply approaching them and saying hello.
Attend a singles dating event
The thought of this may be a little daunting, but it’s one place where you’re guaranteed to meet other singles. If you simply go with the intentions of enjoying yourself and you wish to gain experience chatting to others, you’re likely to feel more relaxed without putting unnecessary pressure on yourself.
Browse a bookshop or music shop
Ask someone for his or her opinion on a particular book or music album. If it’s a shared interest then you’ll have something to talk about to get a conversation going.
At a wedding or reunion
Social gatherings such as a wedding or a birthday party are great places to meet a selection of people and by knowing the same people you’ll have something in common to start a conversation with.
Join a gym or sporting activity
Whether you’re a complete novice or no stranger to sport, by joining a sports club or gym you’ll have the opportunity to mingle with others, while working up a sweat.
Travel
Whether you go on a singles holiday or travel with friends, you’re likely to have plenty of opportunities to socialise with others. There are several companies that offer holidays for single travellers giving you the opportunity to meet other like-minded single travellers.
Go to a concert/theatre/opera
Make sure you’ll enjoy the performance yourself otherwise you’ll be no fun to be around. Talk to the person sitting next to you and discuss the performance.
Go to an art gallery or museum
Take your time looking at exhibitions and if the opportunity arises talk to someone looking at the same display as you. You’ll have something to share views on, plus you may end up wandering around the gallery or museum at the same pace as them.
Take an adult education class
You’ll have the opportunity to mix with others while learning at the same time. If someone catches your eye, you could ask them to help you with your work, giving you the perfect excuse for approaching them.