I’m one of those “people.”

Single.

And I don’t have a clue what to do when it comes to dating. Apparently I must’ve missed the memo that you’re supposed to get serious with someone in college. I didn’t do that.

Actually, I went into college with the mindset of, “I’ll just date,” but I won’t get serious with anyone. Good enough, I was too busy with school, working, and being with my friends, that I didn’t really date. Sure, I had a few dates here and there, but I didn’t commit to anyone. I wouldn’t commit.

Slowly, but surely, I’m starting to get a clue when it comes to dating. It’s a rough path, but someone’s gotta do it.

Now, I’m living in the dc metro area, which makes my choices, when it comes to dating, slim to nil. Okay I’m exaggerating. But it’s not quite as easy as everyone makes it out to be. I’ll give you the options of how I can meet people.

My first option is to meet someone at my job. Yes, I can meet people there. There’s a mixture of young, middle aged, and old people. Almost everyone is in a relationship. Only a handful of us are single, and yes I’m one of them. I’m not going to date anyone at work. I don’t really hang out or go out with anyone at work, so I can’t meet anyone through my coworkers (although that’s an idea…but do I really want to mix business with pleasure?)

Next option: the gym. Strike that. Who wants to meet someone when you are sweaty and well, the reason why I go to the gym is to work out, not to meet guys. Although I will admit that I do scope out guys, but I do it subtly, thankyouverymuch.

The third option is meeting new people through your friends. That might be able to work, if you went to college in the area, so there’s a higher chance that quite a few of your friends stayed in the area. That’ll definitely make it easy for you to meet more people through them. But, I didn’t go to college here. I went up there, where it’s too cold to mention. And I keep a small circle of friends, which is how I like it. So it’s not that easy to meet people through them.

Uhm, I need a fourth option. Oh yeah, I’ve even resorted to asking my sisters (after all, they’re only 2 years older/younger than me) to hook me up with some of their friends. Only problem is most of their friends are attached, or if they aren’t attached, they live in philly. That was almost too easy. Or they’re just too weird for me. *grins*

Option number 5. Go out to bars/clubs to meet people. Now I know a lot of people say, how would you meet people at a bar or club. I just do. Granted that 90, er, make that 95 percent of the time, when you exchange numbers or emails, you’re not likely to hear from that person ever again. But it’s always a blast to meet people there. When you’re out, you’re definitely less inhibited, and quite possibly, plastered by alcohol. I would think we’d be much more friendlier and more willing to approach people under the influence. Now I know what some of you are going to say, but why would I want to meet those “people” at bars? I used to say the same thing, why does anyone want to meet one of those guys at the bar? But honestly, when I go out to bars and clubs. I never go out with the intention of I’m going to meet someone tonight. I go out because I enjoy the music, I want to go dancing. I just want a change of environment, and this gives me the opportunity to be somewhere else for a change. Sometimes i do meet people, sometimes i don’t. And sometimes something comes out of it. So I’m those “people” and you know what I’m okay with that.

This is my last option, and it is online dating. Everyone has tried it. Well, I have. It’s not that bad. I’ve met a couple of people from online. No one crazy, at least not yet. But I’d like to think I have good instincts as to deciding whether I should meet the guy that I’ve met online or not. So a couple of good friendships have blossomed from meeting them online. But there have been a couple of “interesting people,” which I’ll tell you about one time or another.

Here’s the thing, it took me a long time before I even ‘fessed up to my parents that I was doing the online dating thing. When my mom found out, she said “cool.” Now when my little sister found out, she laughed, and said, “what you are doing the online dating thing?!” I gave her a dirty look, but then she thought about it for a second. She told me she wouldn’t have a clue as to how to meet people if she didn’t meet her husband in college. So she understands that a girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do.

At least I do have options, even though they’re not the greatest of them all. Right now, I’m not dating anyone. I’m not even looking. I’m just being single. And guess what, I don’t mind it (at least not right now, but, when valentine’s day swings around…but that’s another day.)