“We met in college.”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard married couples say that.
And while it’s true that many people meet their future spouse on a college campus, not everyone does.
In fact, college campuses are far from the only places to meet a mate. As a distance learner, you may be unaware of all the options you have for meeting that special someone.
In this post, I’ll talk about five ways distance learners can meet new friends of the opposite sex.
I say “friends” because the best spouses tend to start off as best friends. The romance blossoms from that friendship. So, the goal here should be focused on making new friends. You can stop a relationship before it starts if you’re only viewing someone as a potential spouse.
Let’s check out some ways you can kickstart your social life, which may (hopefully) lead to new friends and a spouse.
1. Get involved in a church
I don’t recommend joining a church for the sole purpose of finding a spouse. You should like the teaching and mission of the church before you commit to it.
But if you want to make friends from your church, you may want to consider serving or joining a co-ed small group. Doing so will introduce you to people, one of whom may end up being your life partner.
2. Volunteer
Like joining a church, meeting people shouldn’t be the only reason you’re volunteering. So, pick a nonprofit organization you really admire and volunteer on a regular basis.
Other people who volunteer there will likely share at least some of your beliefs and values, so it can be a great way to meet new people of the opposite sex.
3. Using one or more dating apps
As a distance learner, you’re likely pretty technically savvy. Fortunately, there are a ton of dating apps out there. Three that I used were Hinge, Coffee Meets Bagel, and eHarmony.
I like these three because there is only so much you can do on them before you start seeing the same people pop up. This is different from Match and OKCupid, both of which you could easily waste hours and hours on searching for someone to date.
4. Get people together
If you’re practicing distance learning in an area where you have lived for years, you may already have friends. But do you know their friends?
Meeting the friends of your existing friend group is a great way to expand your social network.
Host a party or game night. Invite a group of people to a restaurant or a park. The point is to get around people you haven’t met, so encourage your friends to bring some of their friends whom you may not know.
A lot of people find their spouses by meeting their friends’ friends, so this might be a good strategy to take.
I have several friends who met their spouses this way. They didn’t all start off attracted to one another, but as their friendship with one another grew, they developed that romantic connection.
5. Join a Meetup group for folks with similar interests
If you enjoy playing board games, there’s probably a Meetup group for that in your area. Love to play soccer? There’s likely a group near you for that, too. Most of these groups are co-ed, so trying out one or two may be a good idea.
6. Exercise
As a distance learner, you should exercise regularly to help you think better and live a healthier life. If staying active is important to you, you’re probably looking for someone who is active, too. Joining a CrossFit gym or enrolling in an exercise class at the local YMCA are both places where you can meet someone like this.
If gyms aren’t your thing, you may want to consider another form of exercise: dancing. It’s likely there’s a place for swing dancing or salsa dancing near you. A lot of times, these dancing events occur regularly, so you’re likely to make new friends if you stick with it.
Wrapping up
When I was a senior on a college campus, I remember thinking, “This is my last year to find a wife.” I’m so glad I was wrong. It took a few years and a great deal of perseverance, but eventually, I found my wife through a dating app (Coffee Meets Bagel).
As a college student, I wouldn’t have expected to meet her that way, but I’ve learned that there are multiple ways to meet the love of your life. And as you can see, none of the ways I provided require a college campus, which is good news for distance learners looking for love.