Traveling - notoriously not a hobby.

“How do you meet new people or get into relationships after college?”

A recent weekend event - it was just my son and myself that weekend and I decided to take him to a cultural event in our city. As we were walking home after filling our bellies with food truck chicken and watching the lion dancers, he interrupted our silence with “Mom, I love going to street fairs with you.”

I could’ve held on to that moment forever.

The vital addendum is learning to chat with strangers and have a good time without it going further. Once again, awkward weirdo, but I’ve had so many lovely evenings out chatting with people I may or may not see again. It’s fun and results in a good reputation.

This is really key. It’s fun to spend an evening getting to know someone! And if that’s your only goal for a date - you’re probably going to have more of a good time than not.

“I’ve had people try to start physical fights with me the past couple of years over differences of opinion or hobbies.” “No woman from a dating app has ever wanted to be my friend unless she was trying to get in my pants and I wasn’t into her.”

Do you think maybe there’s a common denominator here?

You see no value in befriending women if you can’t stick your dick in them?

The people you meet on dating apps tend to know other people and you can build a friend group. You know, if you’re likeable and friendly.

I think it’s more telling that no one wants to be friends with you. That shouldn’t be extrapolated to all women don’t want to be friends with men.

You don’t know me and to make such assumptions is only good to further isolate yourself from society.

I’ve got plenty of friends who are men. You’re only shooting yourself in the foot to believe these gendered things about women and men.

I met my current friend group through dating apps. You gotta keep an open mind when meeting people - you’re there to get to know them as a person. Sometimes that leads to dating, sometimes it’s friendship.

Exactly. They’ve tried nothing and they’re out of ideas.

Uh oh, the people who don’t want to hear that moving to a city is better for dating arent going to be happy with your answer hahaha

I’m currently paying $600 a month with roommates. In a very populated city.

There’s more opportunities in cities compared to rural areas and no matter how you split it, that’s the truth.

The only one I listed that you have to buy something are the regular bars and you only have to buy 1 drink.

On any day of the week, there are meetups for board games, dancing, yoga, music, etc.

There are sober “bars”. There are book clubs. There are regular bars and dance clubs. There’s a bunch of churches.

There’s a lot to do and a lot of people to meet when you’re in a city.

There’s more job opportunities in cities, too.

Roommates are still a thing.

Cities are better for dating. More people, more third places.

As much as everyone hates dating apps, it’s dating apps. Keep an open mind and go on dates looking to just get to know another person. Apps put a large swath of people in your view that otherwise you may not have crossed paths with.

Otherwise, church, bars, hobby meet ups.