Meeting someone authentically has a lot of advantages over app dating. Don’t get me wrong, it’s convenient when they are a swipe away but face to face meetings lets you have a true reaction to a potential person, whether good or bad. Here are some places to get back to the roots of meeting someone out in the real world next time you are in an app dating rut.
Dog parks take a lot of pressure off you because you can literally focus on your dog, or their dog. This also gives you something already in common with the potential person; you both like dogs! Next time you see someone you could be interested, all you have to do is ask about their pup and then you have a conversation starter.
Nothing like a little liquid courage to shake the nerves. Bar crawls are great way to meet someone authentically because usually everyone’s a little intoxicated, which breaks that awkward ice. Pretend you are need of a drink shake up, wander over to where they are hanging out and ask what they are drinking and if they would recommend it.
Meetup.com is an extremely useful tool if you are having trouble coming up with places to meet others. It basically is like a giant event calendar that has groups and events that you can sign up for. They even have a single group that you can check out.
Join a bookclub, squash league (is that a thing?), or a kayaking group. Get out in something that you enjoy and the magic of a group is that it attracts others that are interested in the same thing. You don’t even have to be good at your new hobby; it’s almost better if you suck at it because they can give you a hand. You know, and maybe start a conversation.
If the gym is your thing, it can be an easy place to start up a casual conversation with someone. Generally, the staff are helpful and great for gleaning helpful tips and most gyms have classes that you can join and see some of the same people a couple times a week. Just be respectful; some people are very focused at the gym and don’t want to be disturbed. Others, like me, look like a drown sewer rat when they are done working out; so it really depends on you and the place if this is a potentially good idea or not.
Some people might be frowning at this suggestion, but places like art galleries and open public displays encourage conversation. Research and see what is around you that could draw someone you could be interested in and be ready to start conversation. Places like this it’s easy to walk away and move on from someone you aren’t clicking; all you have to do is move on to the next piece of work.
When you are on the trail, depending on where you are, you usually run into other hikers. Be friendly and start conversations, ask a question, see if they have other recommendations for future hikes. Pick a fairly populated hike and hang out at the view points for a little bit. Remember to be safe if you are by yourself; always carry something to protect yourself with for a just in case.
Music festival beer gardens are some of the most friendliest places I have ever been. Everyone is generally there to have a great time and meeting new people is almost as easy as bumping into them. Ask them who they are there to see and what song they are excited to hear.
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