Meeting People

Once you have left the confines of college and entered the adult world, it can be harder to meet new people and finding suitable dating candidates can be somewhat of a task.  It is helpful to keep in mind that Chicago is a huge city that offers many opportunities to meet other singles while enjoying your city.  Below are 10 great alternatives to the typical bar/nightlife scene to add some variety to your pick up approach:

1) The gym/health club

Working out a popular past-time in Chicago. The gyms are flooded with people after the 9-5 workday is over. Many apartment buildings in the city also have a gym located on site.

2) Take a Class

Any type of class can be a great way to meet new people. Wine tasting classes are an excellent option as are art classes as these are both areas where there will be men and women in attendance.  Not only will you be learning something new, you will be putting yourself in an environment to meet new people.

First Fridays at the MCA

3) Museum of Contemporary Art

This Chicago museum hosts an event on every first Friday of the month and offers a chance to look at the art while socializing, eating and drinking. You can read a description of the upcoming events online and also buy tickets in advance.

4) Volunteer

Volunteering allows a chance to help out your community and at the same time, meet others.  Chicagovolunteer.net is a site that lists volunteer opportunities in Chicago.

5) Walk a Dog

 If you don’t have a dog, get one or borrow a friend’s. Not only are dogs great companions, but they are excellent ice-breakers when meeting new people.

Play a sport and get in on the action

6) Play a Sport

Chicago Sport and Social and Sports Monster are clubs that offer a huge range of recreational activities. There will definitely be something to meet everyone’s interest.

7) Visit Coffee Shops

It seems that there is some type of coffee shop located almost every block in Chicago. If you have work to do after work hours or just want to do some leisure reading, a coffee shop is a great place to do it as it attracts a variety people and you will definitely meet more people than if you are sitting at home.

8 ) Attend Church

Many singles in Chicago attend church at some point during the year even if they are not routine church-goers. Many churches offer picnics, festivals, and other social gatherings.

9) Living Social Adventures

Living social is a site that is comparable to Groupon, however it also offers deals on Chicago adventures.  For example, one adventure was a sunset kayak trip and Barbeque catered by Goose Island. The prices are reasonable and the events are very popular. How popular you might wonder? 661 people purchased entry to this event. This is a golden opportunity to meet other singles in the city while doing something fun!

Attend a fun charity event

10) Charity events

Many charities offer balls or cocktails events to raise money for their particular cause. Find a charity that inspires you and attend their event. Some Chicago favorites are the Green Tie Ball and the Children’s Memorial Hospital Snowball.

Those are our suggestions.  Leave a comment and let us know what your ideas are.

Labor Day has just passed us by once again, Pumpkin Spice lattes are back on the Starbucks menu, football season has begun, and North Avenue  Beach is closed for business. These occurences are all signs of one thing…fall is here and winter will be poking its nose into the business of daily lives sooner than we would all like or well, I can at least confidently say, sooner than I would like.

The city of Chicago seems to drastically slow down in the winter and the outdoors become a vacant playground. Runners are absent from the lakefront, beach volleyball has come to a halt, and street festivals are a thing of the past. So, where does everyone hide during the winter months? One popular Chicago belief is that the single males of the city engage in a practice known as the “ winter girlfriend”. If you are from the city, you have definitely heard this phrase  tossed around or perhaps have partaken in this phenomenon yourself.

The Urban Dictionary defines the winter girlfriend “The process of locking up a girl for the cold winter months to hook up with while giving the girl a false impression of a potential serious relationship. The guy then lets her go when Memorial Day hits, the weather warms up and the sun dresses start coming out”. Or as a male friend has described, “A winter girlfriend is a girl that you can cuddle up with for the winter and do couple type activities to keep you entertained for the cold winter months.”

So, here is the big question : Is the Winter Girlfriend Fact or Fiction? Please take the Attached Poll and if you feel like you have a particularly funny or insightful tidbit to share on this topic, please enter it in the comment box below.