needs. Knowing yourself first can help you decide if someone is right for you.
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Looking for Lovin’ //
Plenty of Fish
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Plenty of Fish
Now that you’ve reflected on your needs and desires, it’s time to find a date! But where do you look for the elusive, interesting single someone?
There are so many options, it’s hard to know where to start, but once you do you can get your game plan rolling. The key to finding a good match is exploring different places, activities, and even apps that are specific to what you want.
Where to Find a Date
Your friends.
No, don’t date your friends (unless you really want to open that can of worms), but use their social network to expand your own. Go out and grab a drink or join them in a group ac-tivity or hobby. Meeting new people is easier with someone to vouch for your sanity and likability.
Bars.
It’s the usual approach, but you don’t only have to go dancing and clubbing. Try your local bar on a trivia night or arcade night if that’s more your speed. Go out, get some liquid courage (not too much), and talk to a cutie about video games.
Dog parks.
Love animals? Turn your usual pet-related chores into an opportunity for love and strike up a conversation with a dog lover in between poop duties.
Go outside!
For you sports and outdoorsy types, find a group, class, or local team to make your exercise more social.
Classes.
Get out of the house and pursue your hobbies by taking a class. You can meet someone who shares your interests and learn something new.
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Shopping.
Maybe not when you’re stocking up on toilet paper, but if you’re at a bookstore or a record store, strike up a conver-sation about a band or writer you love. Some stores, like comic book shops, host events or game nights.
Volunteering.
Doing some non-profit work can put you in touch with people who care about the same things you do, and you’ll be helping others.
Conventions.
If you’re into comic books, sci-fi, gaming, or some other nerdy niche hobby, look for a convention happening near you. Depending on the size, there can be thousands of like-minded singles in the same room. And some sched-ule speed-dating events as well.
Clubs.
Find a group for something you like, whether it’s a book club or cycling club, and share your interests.
Meetups.
Sites like Meetup.com help you find gatherings of peo-ple who share a hobby or lifestyle. You’ll also find singles meetups scheduled on the site.
Politics and activism.
If you’ve got an issue you’re passionate about, share that with others. And if it’s election season, help out with a campaign to meet people who also care about your community.
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WARNING!
A few situations are best left untapped for possible dates. Or, at least, proceed with caution.
The office.
It’s easy to fall for someone if you see them every day, but if it doesn’t work out . . . you still see them every day. It could also be against your employer’s rules or there could be eth-ical implications, depending on your line of work. If you’re going to do it, the best time to date someone in your office is if one of you will be leaving the job soon.
School.
Not recommended. Teacher-student relationships happen, but they’re pretty unprofessional and unethical. If you find yourself tempted, wait until the semester is over. You don’t want your hard work tainted by anything inappropriate.
Power imbalance.
If you’re someone’s boss or their partner in a business or creative venture, dating is going to be fraught with compli-cations.
