It really doesn’t matter why, how or whether you’re single and if you’re completely happy with your lot then more power to you. However, if you fancy seeking that special someone to share the rest of your life with but you’re not entirely sure where to start then, don’t panic, help is at hand.
As you may have noticed on TV and the Internet, getting singles together is big business and from online flirting to first-date nerves, check out the great list below that features everything that you need to know about how to get back on to the dating horse.
Online
Dating websites are littered throughout the Internet like confetti strewn across a church graveyard and if you fancy paying a small fee and signing-up then prepare to answer some pretty intimate questions to help you find your ideal partner. Be aware people online often exaggerate so don’t build your hopes up too high and make sure you take sensible precautions when meeting someone for the first time.
Speed
If you feel that either a. you don’t have the time for wordplay or b. you’re pretty good with first appearances then perhaps the world of speed-dating is for you. This is your chance to meet as many potential suitors as possible within the space of an hour. Church halls, bars and theatres have all been used as speed dating venues and if your preferred choice matches with someone that you’ve just met then you could be on to a winner.
Blind Date
Well meaning friends and family members are forever playing match-makers to singles and like it or not sometimes these are exactly the people who know you, and ‘your type’, the best. Of course, ‘your type’ may not always be available so you could end up going on a set-up blind date with the only other singleton in the village, again! Best practise: treat a blind date as a bit of fun and see how you get on although,if you can text, email or even speak before you meet then all the better.
Chance Encounters
Wait a minute, single people don’t just have to be set up by friends or have to go online to discover a compatible partner, what ever happened to seeing someone across a crowded room and falling head-over-heels in love? For all the dreamers out there that are hoping for a chance encounter the best advice is to stop looking and you never know what maybe waiting for you around the very next corner.
Singles Holidays
A thoroughly modern means of getting back into the dating game involves travelling to far-flung corners of the world and meeting other like-minded people as you go. Singles adventure holidays especially give you the chance to meet, get to know and share experiences and forget all about being on your own and just have some fun. If no romantic spark flies then who cares at least you’re on holiday and having a great time!
Dinner Dates
Ah, back to our good old friends again who can’t stop themselves from meddling. If you get invited to dinner and discover that there just so happens to be another single person sitting conveniently opposite you then you, my friend, have been set up. Swallow your pride before you swallow the food and then just get on with it because, who knows, it could be the start of a thoroughly entertaining evening with plenty of dessert to follow.
Nightclubbing
Getting back to basics by throwing some shapes on a dance floor has to be one of the most tried and tested ways to get back into the dating game. These days you can attend ‘singles nights’ or ‘over (add age here) nights’ so you lessen the chances of feeling like a complete fool and actually get to meet people who you might have something in common with. P.s. for those who haven’t put their glad rags on for a while – slow songs are pretty rare so don’t wait ‘till the end of the night to make your moves.
Lonely Hearts’ ads
For every newspaper, regional or national, there’s a lonely hearts’ column to be located somewhere towards the back in between the free-ad space. Believe it or not some of these people are actually real and although this may not be the most modern method of finding love it has worked for many people before so don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it. Be aware: there can be a lot of ‘eccentrics’ out there so take care before diving into the unknown.
Be Brave
Last but by no means least is exactly what you need to be to get back into the dating game – you need to be brave! Get out there and ask out your boss or wink at the chap in the library or leave your telephone number for the waitress in the coffee shop because you never know what might happen unless you try!