So by now I’m sure you have mastered the art of picking up cute boys on campus, but what happens when you are ripped from the comfort of your college campus and thrown into a new city, or worse – back home – for summer? Sure it’s easy to stroll into a local bar or the library on campus with a couple of your closest friends and muster up the confidence to approach a guy, but it’s not so easy when you’re uncomfortable in your surroundings. Luckily, no matter where you have found yourself this summer, there are a few staple places that guys enjoy meeting girls and with the right approach, you’re destined to meet someone who will heat up your summer nights.
The Bar
Bars are almost always a great place to start the hunt for a little romance in a new place. Confidence is key in this setting and feeling good is more important than looking good. Ask a couple coworkers or a girlfriend to grab some drinks and have a good time, as having fun is an extremely attractive look on everyone. Also, do not underestimate the possibilities of happy hours (if you’re 21 of course). Although happy hour is usually early in the evening, $2 beers almost always create an extremely lively and friendly atmosphere, and even if you’re not 21 you can usually get in earlier in the night. While bars are fun and often bring out the inner party animal, be sure to keep it classy and stick to the dance floor to show off your moves, not the bar itself.
GUYS SAY: “It’s easy to approach a girl at a bar because offering to buy drinks is always an easy conversation starter. Girls who are dancing and having a good time with their friends always looks attractive.” Michael Adams, University of Denver
Beware of: The Player. Remember that if you came to the bar to meet someone and have a good time, he could very likely be doing the same thing, and could also very likely do it often. How do you spot this guy? If he begins the conversation with a line that is way too smooth to have just been thought of, you probably are not the first girl he has said it to. Also, if the bartender knows him by name and has his and all his friends’ drinks memorized, he is most likely a regular and you might be becoming a part of his usual Thursday night routine. Offering to buy you a beer or a cocktail is one thing, because with that usually comes a conversation, but offering to buy shot after shot is a red flag that he is not looking for anything more than a hook up.
The Gym
Cosmo named the gym one of the best places to meet a guy, and rightly so. Gyms are jam-packed with sweaty males, especially in the summer. However, the gym scene can be a little intimidating when approaching a guy, so make them come to you! Working out is often made easier when blasting music; however, being headphone-free will make you seem more open to chatting. Also, after your cardio, be sure to hit up the weight room, which is likely to be the place with the most boys, rather than the row of ellipticals. If you aren’t familiar with weight machines or proper lifting form, asking for help is a perfect conversation starter. Looking cute will also help attract some attention. This does not mean you should sport a full face of makeup and a skimpy outfit, but you can ditch the baggy sweatpants and grungy t-shirt and invest in some cute and comfortable workout clothes, like ones sold here!
GUYS SAY: “I’m totally attracted to girls I see at the gym working out hardcore. I would feel really comfortable approaching her because we obviously have common ground and both care about staying healthy and in shape.” Phil Chen, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Beware of: The Meat Head. Guys who frequent gyms are usually confident, sometimes a little too much so. Look out for the guy who starts a conversation with “Do you come here often? Because I come 3 times a day…” If he spends so much time in the gym, how will he find time for you? No girl wants to be second to pumping iron and an ab workout.
[pagebreak]
The Beach (Or pool, for those of you who aren’t spending your summer on a coast)
The relaxed atmosphere and beautiful scenery of a beach or pool makes it an obvious place to socialize. Meeting guys on the beach is pretty much like meeting guys anywhere else, except for the fact that you’re almost naked. That being said, if you’re comfortable enough (which you totally should be) to approach guys while wearing next to nothing, check out these useful tips from Seventeen to make sure you aren’t being overconfident or too forward. Try attracting some attention by being active on the beach rather than just sunbathing. A guy is more likely to approach a girl who is playing volleyball, swimming in the ocean, walking around or even sitting up talking with friends than a girl who looks like she is completely asleep with headphones in. Starting some kind of game on the beach is a great way to ask some shirtless boys to join in, an offer that is hard to refuse.
GUYS SAY: “I would feel most comfortable approaching a girl at the beach, for sure. Especially if she is active, playing volleyball or something. That shows she is fun and confident and would definitely catch my attention.” Zack Wolfenzon, Harvard University
Beware of: The Slacker. The beach is an excellent place to spend summer, but not the whole year. Make sure the studs you pick up aren’t the kind who opted out of college to “catch some gnarly waves and work on a perfect tan.” Ask him if he is working this summer or where he goes to school early in the conversation, just to make sure he is motivated to do things other than spend as much time as possible at the beach.
The Workplace
The good news about meeting a guy at your job or internship is that if he is there too, you have some very obvious common ground to start from. The first step is to let your coworker know that you’re definitely interested; try leaving him a note or sending him a funny email at the end of the day. Once you have dropped a couple hints, make a move! Ask him to grab lunch with you during your break; this is informal enough not to seem too forward but also a very good way to test the waters. If all goes well, make sure you’re still working hard at your job or internship, dating a coworker can be tricky so make sure it doesn’t take away from the reason you two met in the first place.
GUYS SAY: “I think work is a great place to meet a girl. A girl at work is obviously driven and independent, which are both really attractive qualities. I’d feel totally comfortable approaching a coworker.” Brett Maiolfi, University of Texas at Austin
Beware of: The Workaholic. It is great that he’s working, and with a job he could probably treat you to a nice dinner quite often, if he has time. Make sure he has learned how to balance a career and a social life. If he turns down the offer for a lunch break or grabbing drinks with other coworkers because he is “swamped with work” more than once with no efforts to reschedule, he is either way too involved with his job or just not interested. Either way, he is not worth your time.
[pagebreak]
Sporting Events
Whether it is a pro game, or a friend’s game for his/her summer league, a sporting event is a great place to meet new guys. Guys here are often in a great mood and really lively so get in the game and pick a sport you are genuinely interested in, or at least can tolerate. Show team spirit and wear a jersey or something related to the team you are cheering on. Get there early and partake in the tailgating fun, where the guys will surely be barbequing and looking for fellow fans. If you can’t score any tickets, hit up a sports bar nearby the venue and there will be just as many enthusiastic guys to choose from. The big thing to avoid here is acting like you know what you’re talking about. If you don’t know about the sport you’re watching, a nice guy will be happy to explain it to you but irritated if you try to sound like an expert. However, if you do know a lot about sports, don’t be afraid to show off your knowledge because guys will be attracted to your enthusiasm.
GUYS SAY: “I would totally approach a girl at a sporting event, especially if she is into the sport and knows what’s going on in the game. Wearing a cute jersey sure wouldn’t hurt either.” Ben Kaufman, Purdue University
Beware of: The Sports Obsession. Meeting a guy at a sporting event is great, but if dates 1, 2, and 3 also involve watching a sports game of some kind, you might be in trouble. It’s good to have hobbies and interests, but if “watching the game” is part of his every night and comes before maintaining his relationships, he is not a keeper. Make sure he is open to skipping a game or two to do something with his friends or something you want to do.
Sources
Cosmopolitan, “The Best Places to Meet a Guy”
Fit Couture
Seventeen, “5 Beach Flirting Moves Not To Do”
Michael Adams, Denver University
Phil Chen, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Zack Wolfenzon, Harvard University
Brett Maiolfi, University of Texas at Austin
Ben Kaufman, Purdue University