After a breakup with your SO, it can be difficult to get back out there in the dating world. You may want to start dating again or at least begin searching for someone to hang out with, but the real problem is that we donât always know where these potential candidates could be on campus. If you are struggling to find someone on your campus, here are some suggestions for where to look.
1. Parties or bars
This is the most typical place to meet guys. Attend a party with your friends, whether itâs at a fraternity or the apartment of the girl who sits next to you in your 8 a.m. math class. Hannah, a sophomore at the University of Michigan, suggests going to mixers if youâre in a sorority.
âOr you can always go to bars,â she says. âMake a lot of friends. Who knows, maybe theyâll introduce you to someone or youâll end up being into someone you didnât think you would be.â
2. Sports games
The idea of going to a game may not be the first thing you think of, but there are always other students there as well. Not only can you cheer on your schoolâs team, but you may end up sitting next to a guy youâve never seen on campus before.
âIâve heard from some of my friends that great places to meet people on campus are at intramural sports events,â says Liz, a junior at UW-Stout. Check the sports schedule and go to an event, whether itâs soccer, volleyball, lacrosse or even gymnastics.
Related: 10 Ways To Meet Guys That Don’t Involve Bars or Parties
3. Dorm common areas
Your dorm most likely has a common room or lounge for everyone in the building, and there are plenty of spots on campus specifically meant for hanging out with others. LMU senior Sierra believes itâs a great way to meet guys.
âIâve met several guys playing pool in my dorm lounge. Itâs really a mystery where they all hide out!â she says. Take a trip to one of the lounges on campus under the guise of doing homework, or meet a friend there if you were planning on getting together anyways. A spot where lots of students frequent is somewhere you may want to be if you are actively looking to meet someone.
4. Campus activities
Maybe itâs bingo, a concert or trivia about your favorite TV show. There are always events going on around campus to attend and have fun. When youâre there, maybe youâll win a prize and a date with that cutie who almost beat you in the game.
âReally, go to those lame [campus] events. There are tons of guys there,â says Sierra.
Even if you donât meet a potential SO, itâs still good to go to campus events as much as possible to get the most out of your experience. You could just meet a new friend. âIt never hurts to have friends [at college],â says Hannah.
5. The library
If you spend a lot of hours studying in the library, then you may notice some familiar faces around. Finding someone who also frequents the library to get work done could be the start to a new relationship.
âEven if youâre searching for your books at the library, that [certain] someone could come into your life completely unannounced and knock you off your socks,â says Liz. You donât need to dress up every time you study, but consider saying hi to the cute guy at the table over. Â Â
6. Clubs and organizations
When you join a club on campus, youâll meet other students who share the same interests. Alex*, a senior at The College of William and Mary, met two guys from student organizations.
âItâs really great because we already know that we have at least one common interest, but still have the ability to learn more about each other. Itâs also nice because we have a lot of built-in hang out time when we attend events together,â she says.
After visiting all of these places on campus, you may still be without a potential SO because you just couldnât find anyone. But donât give up! Hannah believes if youâre constantly âtrying to meet guys,â youâll miss out on a lot of other things going on.
âThereâs nowhere out there where potential SOâs are hiding, and if you view every guy as a potential SO, youâre just going to drive yourself crazy,â she says.
Liz agrees, but says you should remember that you have just gotten out of a relationship. âItâs important to first take care of yourself and make sure that you are actually ready for a new relationship before trying to find âThe One,ââ Liz says. âI think as soon as you are truly ready for a new partner, itâll all happen in the blink of an eye.â
As you check out these spots on campus, keep an eye out. You could be hanging out in the common room for hours, but maybe youâll bump into someone in the dining hall or try and check out the same book as a cute guy you havenât noticed before in the library.
A college campus is big enough that no matter where you look, you are bound to find someone. So once youâre ready to get back out there after ending a relationship, know that you donât necessarily have to be at a certain place to meet your potential SO.
*Name has been changed.