The Best Places to Meet People

Some of us find it monotonous to see the same old faces, and hear the same old conversations take a U-turn and start yet again. It can be pretty dull to be spending the weekend alone, or of course remain dateless for months on end. Even those who fall out of a relationship, need a change in scene, and want someone to distract them from past recurrent memories.

Whatever the reason, whether you want to make new friends, start socializing and building upon your contacts or even if you want to find someone in a crowd that you can connect to and gradually date - it's all about being in the right place at the right time.

So, here I'm going to take you through some of the best places to meet people, to help you on your way to discover that there's more to the world than just the people you already know.

Some of you may be thinking out loud, or in your head, that the most idyllic of place to meet people were probably at cafés or pubs you already hung out at, ending up most times with zilch.

Well for starters, you need to know exactly which cafés and pubs are ideal when it comes to meeting new people. There's something like age that comes into play, and knowing how and when to find these people, at the right time, which of course is crucial.

I know you've already heard this suggestion or probably tried it out already, by hanging around all day in a coffee joint and not really finding anyone eye-catching. This is where it gets tricky.

You have to understand that during the weekdays, the crowd will consist of people who are on their lunch breaks, who prefer a cup of coffee and a donut to go, as opposed to eating lunch at a restaurant.

To meet people at this hour, would be to stake out the place during this time. You could bump into a lot of people as they line up at the coffee shop, either during lunch time, or just before the day begins.

You can't miss them. What you'll find are men and women, bustling in lines to get ahead. If you find yourself ahead, you could always offer to buy someone their coffee, and do something nice as a plus point when meeting him/her for the first time.

When it comes to a younger crowd, you'll see them over the weekend, in groups, with just guys hanging out together, or girls in groups. You can always find a way to walk up to a guy/girl and introduce yourself, and say something like 'I come here often, do you?'.

How you start your conversation is important, in order to keep it casual, and not creepy. Watch out for weird expressions that you may be showing the other person, and remember to keep it cool, and ooze self-confidence.

Whether you're a man, guy, woman or girl, you'll find ways to strike up a conversation, provided that you don't come off as a nut job. Just introduce yourself, and keep it normal, and have them join you, or get your group to join theirs, so that everyone's bonding.

You can't expect to walk into any bar, and find the perfect person to hang out with. You have to know when to go. The best time to go and check out a pub, is when any kind of sport is getting the public heated up. You can be sure to find an enthusiastic following of fans filling into pubs to watch the game.

You can easily talk to a stranger, and discuss the commentary of the sport and find a platform where you can relate to him/her. Another great time to go, is when pubs throw parties, and special nights for the ladies, or when there's a band or artist in town. It's a great way for singles to meet people too; don't assume everyone you see is taken.

There are many free online dating services, that singles find themselves drawn to, in order to meet great men and women. There could be a mix of people on the Internet that you may not fancy, but trust me, there are some good men and women out there, looking to find some nice people to hang out with.

You don't have to date right away, but get to know each other first online, and then eventually take it to the next level, by first speaking to each other over the phone, and exchanging as much information as possible online to make sure he/she is legit.

These places are a great way to find someone who loves what you love. If you're into a particular kind of passion, the best way is to plan an outing with the girls/guys to check out a particular scene.

You have a lot of people hanging out there, who appreciate the same things, and you'll know exactly what to say when approaching him/her. Like I said, keep it cool, and natural, and don't come off as a creep.

Plays are good too, where theater can range from stand up comedies, to dramatic screenplays and so on. You're bound to find an intellectual crowd of sorts, where you can strike up a conversation and comment about how the play was, and how often he/she comes to this event.

That way you're sure to get some feedback and get into the flow of talking to this person.

Wine festivals are a nice way to meet wine lovers who are easy to talk to, since everyone is there to enjoy a commonality, which is in this case - wine. Don't underestimate the crowd, people from all ages gather to these functions, and trust me, you'll find someone that's worth walking up to.

If you think that walking up to a total stranger is just not you, then meeting new people through a mutual friend is the best possible way to feel comfortable when introduced to someone new.

It isn't all nerves, and butterflies, but a little calming when prepared to meet someone a friend of yours already knows well. It takes the edge off when walking up to someone on your own.

You can either be set up with someone from a mutual friend, or mingle with friends he/she has that you don't socialize with. It's the perfect setting, of knowing that you can find information about this person, to ready yourself before the encounter.

Sometimes these things just happen - you walk into a place and don't expect to make a new friend, but it happens. It's all about timing, and how it coincides with the right moment.

These select places to meet people can be a terrifying experience all together, especially when you have no idea how to go about it. I hope this section helps you muster up the courage to walk up to a potential friend or date, and have them like you instantly.

Just don't goof up - relax, and release all that pent-up tension before you speak to him/her.