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Besides bars and clubs, how does a guy put himself around more women?

Ik the bar and club scene have women but it's not likely to go anywhere plus one or both parties are drunk. Just curious to see what people think on the topic. The beach is a spot I'm trying to push myself to talk to women at

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  • I always hung out with people who had parties that included men and women, and sometimes people would introduce people who they thought might be compatible. It didn't usually work out, but sometimes those people with introduce others and so on. Just hanging out without any kind of interest in dating is great because more people get to know you and you get experience being around women and not making it about dating.

    I once was introduced to someone who didn't really match, but she then introduced me to one of her friends and that worked out pretty well. My wife was introduced to me by a friend who dated her for a week in high school and they were still friends.

    Knowing someone who knows someone is a great shortcut to opportunities for meeting new people.

  • Besides bars and clubs, how does a guy put himself around more women?

    Hobbies should be a good starting point. With a caveat.

    I'm into sketching/watercolors and I can tell you I constantly meet people (women and men) that are into the same hobby.

    We can meet by accident at the art store, or at gatherings, expo (or class), or by just being on the same spot at the same time painting the same thing (I live in Paris, we have many nice spots for painters). More often than not, these women are quite happy to spend some time sharing a genuine common interest without constantly having to worry about anything happening.

    Because, as far as I'm concerned, and that's the caveat I mentioned, I don't expect anything else to happen when I meet someone who is into the some hobby as I am. I don't do that to meet women (or men). I do that because I enjoy sketching and watercolors (like I enjoy playing chess) and I don't give a fuck about women being there or not. But I'm also always happy to meet someone interesting. I don't know if this makes sense? It kinda makes sense to me ;)

    And btw, through that common hobby, I meet women (and men) from all age and from all conditions. Not just 50+ old farts (like I'm) but also quite many that are barely in their 20s, or even less. And barely any of them were drunk... so far :p

    edit: typos

  • I agree with the others who say to get in the mode of making new friends through hobbies and other activities. Not every friend you meet will be dateable (a woman you find attractive who is available and attracted to you too), but the act of being social and making new connections does a few things specific to dating:

    • It helps you build your social skills for when you are talking directly to potential dates
    • It gives you new leads on friends of friends who may be interested in dating
    • It gives you a solid social circle, which makes you more attractive

    Plus, like, the actual benefits of friendships with other people, and having people to pursue your hobbies with, will just be great to have even without dating.

    Some concrete examples of how I've made friends (I've moved cities a lot so I had to do this like 7 or 8 times in my adult life):

    • Pickup basketball at a gym where this happens on a regular basis (even if not formally scheduled). Not a lot of women, but a handful of women might participate. But I've made lifelong friends this way, and have met some friends of friends through this.
    • Other social gym settings: scheduled classes with opportunities to work with or talk to others. I've made friends in CrossFit style gyms, and my wife has made friends through yoga and spin. Now I'm a regular at a serious lifting gym (and I drop into powerlifting gyms in other cities while I'm traveling), and there's often enough rest between sets to just talk to people and get to know others.
    • Being a regular somewhere, including places that don't cost money, like parks and libraries. I've made a ton of friends at dog parks, and have dated a few women I've met at dog parks. When you see the same people a few times a week, that familiarity gives you an opportunity to build up a real connection over time.
    • In a similar vein, recurring volunteer opportunities. In one city I lived in, I was a regular volunteer at a kitchen for feeding the homeless and elderly, and would strike up conversations with people while chopping vegetables or whatever. I got to know some, and ended up exchanging phone numbers at some point. I'm now on the board of a nonprofit and occasionally hang out with some of the other board members.
    • Socializing with neighbors. I take regular walks so I see a lot of the same neighbors around. Sometimes we strike up conversations, and sometimes we invite each other to events we host in our homes.
    • Work and career events. I did happy hours with coworkers, entered recreational sports leagues, participated in the occasional professional development type organization, and have made friends that way.

    I'm still a social guy. I'm happily married, but I still make new friends through many of these avenues, plus through my kids and socializing with other parents at their activities. You do it enough and you learn what type of people you vibe with, and who you enjoy being around. With that baseline/foundation, it's much easier to engage with potentially available women, too.

  • Partnered dance class.

    You gain an attractive skill. You get regular exercise, if you practice outside of class, practice outside of class. Pick the correct dance class and you meet people with similar tastes to you. At all the dance classes I attended there was a shortage of leads, don't be weird¹ and you'll be in demand. Exercise, music and dancing is a formula for happy people, the people you meet are already in a good mood.

    Just don't be weird¹, practice to get the rhythm in your body without thinking. In the "free dance" time at the end, get around the room ask anyone alone looking at the floor for a dance. Dance, talk (don't be weird)¹, say thank you, onto the next one. Eventually you'll make friends.

    ¹Be wierd later, or be just under your partner's level of weird. Focus on being a good partner, part of that is having people be comfortable around you.

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