Where to pull

Want to meet someone? Need some fresh ideas for where to look? The Mix suggests places to pull.

"All the single people are that way."

You’ve been told you can meet people anywhere, so why does it feel like there’s such a lack of eligible partners knocking around? Whether it’s because you don’t know any other single people, or you’ve not met your type, it’s time to try something new. Even if you don’t meet the love of your life, we guarantee you’ll have a laugh.

At a club

Good for: Getting to know someone intimately without uttering a word. Just shut up and dance!

Bad for: A nice, quiet, cosy chat.

Your local pub

Good for: Meeting people who live in your neighbourhood. And it’s useful if you’re a slow mover who likes to spend time getting to know someone before you make your intentions clear.

Bad for: Anyone with a thing for teetotallers.

Chat Rooms

Good for: Meeting like-minded people, no matter what floats your boat, with no need to dress up before you make that connection.

Bad for: Being 100% certain the person you’re chatting too is fully clothed… and not in their maximum security prison rehabilitation computer course.

On holiday

Good for: Reinventing yourself in any way you please. So what if everyone back home has seen that photo of you at a party wearing nothing but a traffic cone? Out here, you can be the world’s greatest lover and no one will be any the wiser.

Bad for: Longevity. Don’t hold out hope that this romance will travel home with you.

Online dating

Good for: Meeting people who definitely want the same thing as you. Different dating websites have different members, so whether you’re a young professional looking for a long-term relationship or a sex-crazed student with a thing for people in uniform – there’ll be a website for you.

Bad for: Your bank account (lots of the big names charge).

Hook-up apps

Good for: If you want to meet someone right here, right now. A few taps into your phone and you’ve found someone to spend the rest of the day (or night) with.

Bad for: Your Nokia 3310. If your phone is ancient, you won’t have a decent ring tone let alone a dating app. Also, make sure you meet in a public place where you can easily lose any oddballs you pick up.

Through your hobbies

Good for: Meeting people you’ll definitely have something in common with. There are even hobby-specific dating sites.

Bad for: Just because someone likes the same stuff as you, doesn’t mean you’ll fancy them.

Speed dating

Good for: A laugh. Go with a couple of friends and you can spend the rest of your evening sharing the funny three-minute conversations you had (if you didn’t meet the love of your life, that is).

Bad for: You could whittle your evening away chatting to really dull people, or you could meet someone amazing – who knows?

Volunteering

Good for: You get to meet someone selfless and wonderful, whilst showing that (obviously) you are too.

Bad for: You may be too busy helping others to help yourself to the nearest big-hearted hottie.