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 don’t 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 it’s 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 you’re in a sorority.
“Or you can always go to bars,” she says. “Make a lot of friends. Who knows, maybe they’ll introduce you to someone or you’ll end up being into someone you didn’t think you would be.”
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 school’s team, but you may end up sitting next to a guy you’ve never seen on campus before.
“I’ve heard from some of my friends that great places to meet people on campus are at intramural sports events,” says Liz, a junior at UW-Stout. Check the sports schedule and go to an event, whether it’s 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 it’s a great way to meet guys.
“I’ve met several guys playing pool in my dorm lounge. It’s really a mystery where they all hide out!” 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 it’s bingo, a concert or trivia about your favorite TV show. There are always events going on around campus to attend and have fun. When you’re there, maybe you’ll win a prize and a date with that cutie who almost beat you in the game.
“Really, go to those lame [campus] events. There are tons of guys there,” says Sierra.
Even if you don’t meet a potential SO, it’s 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. “It never hurts to have friends [at college],” 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.
“Even if you’re searching for your books at the library, that [certain] someone could come into your life completely unannounced and knock you off your socks,” says Liz. You don’t need to dress up every time you study, but consider saying hi to the cute guy at the table over.
6. Clubs and organizations
When you join a club on campus, you’ll meet other students who share the same interests. Alex*, a senior at The College of William and Mary, met two guys from student organizations.
“It’s 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. It’s also nice because we have a lot of built-in hang out time when we attend events together,” she says.
After visiting all of these places on campus, you may still be without a potential SO because you just couldn’t find anyone. But don’t give up! Hannah believes if you’re constantly “trying to meet guys,” you’ll miss out on a lot of other things going on.
“There’s nowhere out there where potential SO’s are hiding, and if you view every guy as a potential SO, you’re just going to drive yourself crazy,” she says.
Liz agrees, but says you should remember that you have just gotten out of a relationship. “It’s important to first take care of yourself and make sure that you are actually ready for a new relationship before trying to find ‘The One,’” Liz says. “I think as soon as you are truly ready for a new partner, it’ll all happen in the blink of an eye.”
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 you’ll bump into someone in the dining hall or try and check out the same book as a cute guy you haven’t 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 you’re ready to get back out there after ending a relationship, know that you don’t necessarily have to be at a certain place to meet your potential SO.
*Name has been changed.