College is a great time in your life to date – perhaps the best. In college you learn what you want in a career, and how you want to spend the rest of your life. You also learn about the kind of person you might want to spend the rest of your life with.

For those looking for a male partner of equal or greater education, there is no better time to find one. According to a study published in The Times, “in the 25-34 age group, 37.5% of women have a bachelor’s degree or higher, while only 29.5% of men do”.

Thus, once you graduate from college, those are the odds you’re faced with. So here are some of the best ways and places to meet potential dates – and maybe even your future spouse – while in college.

Class

Meeting people in class ensures you already have something in common, and provides you with an ice-breaker. It also allows you to get to know the person on an intellectual and platonic level, which creates much stronger relationships than just rushing into the sexual side of things.  However, avoid getting into romantic relationships with other classmates who are taking your core courses. 

Why? If it does end up working out, you end up losing much of your personal space, and their presence in class might be distracting. If it doesn’t work out, then it might make classes awkward, and gods forbid you’re forced to work with them on a group project. Not everyone can maintain a sense of professionalism in this situation. Even if you’re sure you can, will they?

Clubs

Likely, not the kind of club you’re thinking – virtually every college has clubs and societies students can join to broaden their social circles, while learning new skills. This is a great place to meet people you share a passion with, regardless of your majors. In clubs, students can bond over chess, art, Asian culture, or saving baby seals.

Couples who share a common passion outside of their relationship are likely to last longer than others. These couples have loads to talk about, usually have more in common, and are understanding of how much time this passion might take up of each other’s personal lives. Working towards a skill together and achieving a shared goal also teaches them to work as a team, which is an invaluable lesson for settling down later on.

Online 

Social media and dating sites are also great ways to meet people you share common interests with, and with whom you might be compatible. Many people experience success on websites like Tinder, OkCupid, POF, Badoo, and Bumble. Even regular social media websites like Facebook and Twitter have played unintentional match-maker many times.

Be wary of sharing what school you attend on social media though – especially for women attending college on smaller campuses. This makes you easier to find.

While there are many great guys hoping to find a woman just like you to share amazing experiences with, there’s also quite a few who would just like to toss you in the trunk. Share your location and routine only with select people you would like to meet or spend time with.

Gym

The gym is a great place to meet other people who are in shape – or working on it. This is especially true if you go at a specific time on specific days of the week. Do this often enough, and soon the faces at the gym become familiar. The more familiar you appear to people, the more likely a conversation becomes. The more likely a conversation, the more likely it is for a connection to form.

In addition to this, when people work out, their bodies produce endorphins, which generally puts them in a good mood. This makes people more willing to exchange a friendly hello, or a smile, especially since you clearly already have something in common – fitness.

Guys also successfully break the ice by offering women help with machines at the gym, and women often break the ice themselves by asking for it. But even when you do absolutely nothing, at some point you’ll end up speaking with the people who workout around the same time as you.

Don’t shut yourself off by keeping headphones on or staring endlessly at your phone, if this is a possibility you’re open to.

Dog Park

Dog owners are naturally more social than other pet owners, and people who have no pets at all. Most dog owners try to walk their dogs and socialize them with others, especially when they own only one. Over time, dog owners become accustomed to talking to strangers to diffuse situations where their dogs behave badly, or to answer questions about their dog’s breed and age.

Just like the gym, many owners keep dogs on a routine either to discipline their pets, or because of their own schedule. Keep showing up to the dog park at regular times each week, and once again, faces will become familiar. Familiarity breeds trust, which once again makes it easier to build a connection with a fellow dog owner.

College is often bashed as the time for sexual experimentation in a young adult’s life. While this is certainly true to some extent, not everyone goes to college with these intentions. In fact, some people – male and female – go to college, hoping to graduate with their future husbands and wives. But regardless of your intentions, we’re sure these tips will help you meet that special someone soon enough.