Insights : Reliable spots for finding potential life partners

There is this huge chunk in the population of young men and women who have everything else going for them but who increasingly wonder where and how they can meet other single and seriously interested young men and women. Today’s urban lifestyles have hugely contributed in the resulting isolation. Most people get out of their houses at dawn, spend the next ten hours at work with hardly enough time to gobble down a meal, dash to evening class or meeting, and then take another long trip home in the evening traffic. Weekends are split between recovering from utter exhaustion, working and church. Is it surprising therefore that intimate relationships are the ones suffering in the rat race? Age soon catches up, with nothing much to show except for a huge stack of Julia Roberts and Ben Afleck flicks and silhouette romances to make up for what is missing in real life. Here is a list of ideas of places worth your time and money, and those to avoid. Avoid the bar and club: The bar stool is for those hunting for casual liaisons. The kind of serious man you are looking for will not be hanging at his local hoping to meet the woman he is going to marry. If he is there, it is because he needs his drink, his game, wants to catch up with his friends, or he is looking for a quickie. Bar romances hardly ever go past the three-month sell-by date and if they do, they will take a lot of hard work. There’s always the nagging thought that “you could have picked up anyone, anyway”. Church: Essentially people do not attend church to meet mates, but today church offers some of the best opportunities for singles to meet. Most churches today have youth, and young professional forums that provide ample opportunity for meeting new people through group dinners, breakfasts, hikes, group bowling, house parties and sleepovers. Even for those lacking these activities, church seminars, volunteer groups, Bible study and prayer groups, retreats, even normal services, do offer that opportunity to meet new people. Only ensure that you are active and social, not a bench warmer. Work: In some quarters, dating colleagues may be frowned upon but the work place remains a good place to meet you future mate. Sometimes new staff members and interns have proved to be the miracle in waiting for many searching singles. Clients and customers are other avenues worth exploring. Don’t miss out on opportunities to attend seminars, cocktails, workshops, out of town work trips, parties and other corporate functions especially where people from outside the company are invited. Sport: There is something about sporting that brings down the inhibitions in people and makes it extremely easy to get names and phone numbers. You will make more friends in an hour in the swimming pool or gym than anywhere else because it is non-threatening. Whatever your fancy, it could be time to grab the racket or running shoes and get some exercise and a chance to meet new people who share similar interests. Class: Today’s adult schooling has become a goldmine for professional networking. We can also make it a tool for building social networks as sharing a class is an easy way to break down social and personal barriers. It might be time to look around your class a bit more, hang around your college corridors a bit longer and strike up conversations with the cute MBA student on the cafeteria queue. Long-distance buses and airplanes: There is nothing like a six-hour trip to help jumpstart conversation with a perfect stranger. In some cases by the time the two of you alight, you could be done with the weather, your genealogies, personal histories and even small-talk on political and religious inclinations. You could be ready for more serious matters, like an actual date. Parties, weddings, picnics, camping, tour, etc: Don’t miss out on opportunities to attend parties. You will meet your friend’s friends who will in turn bring other friends. Make a point of attending wedding receptions and evening parties. The goal in all of these is not to go out looking for phone numbers or to give out yours, and follow up with a date two days later, though this is likely to happen. Do not be needy; be genuinely interested in meeting people and getting to know them, and enjoy yourself. Those you meet will recognise you later and you just never know. dedantos2002@yahoo.com

Lifestyle

Insights : Reliable spots for finding potential life partners