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I've been a Meetup organizer/member for 4 years. Around here, most members are single and the women who attend events far outweighs the number of men, regardless of the type of group. (Interestingly, however, the volunteer event I post twice a month is about 50/50). There are also not a lot of men in the 30-45 age range, but plenty around 25 and over 50.
There is a lot of overlap in the membership as most groups do the same types of events so you tend to run into the same people over and over, which is great for forming friendships. I know some people have met a significant other this way but for the most part those who are really active in MU (again, around here) tend to shy away from dating other MU people as you tend to feel you are dating the whole group and not just each other as you have the same circle of friends-even those who belong to speed date and other singles oriented MU groups.
So great for friends, but I wouldn't go into it strictly looking for someone to date. Now, I did briefly date someone I met through MU a couple of years ago but it didn't work out. Not enough in common and not opposite enough for it to be interesting.
I've seen people have dating success, but usually most started out being friends via common group interest. There are some groups where they are more open to the idea of people finding someone, but it's not usually the primary focus of most of the people I know that join the groups. I've joined many groups in various locations and have had, mostly, great experiences getting to know people from all over the world. I especially enjoyed my camping kayaking group back in NC, that was an awesome group. Some great memories; sometimes our campgrounds were close enough driving distance to restaurants that we would go get take out and bring it back to the campsite.
I joined a wonderful creative writing group that is chock full of talent. Not gonna date anyone from it, but I enjoy it immensely. And my writing is improving nicely
Another friend and I tried out a foreign film club - again, not much potential for dates, but could turn out to be fun.
There are actual singles groups on there, so I'm thinking about trying one of those out. Just weeding through the ones that look cool and the ones that look lame at this point though...
I think my problem is that I separate out dating from my everyday life, in addition to working from home (so I don't meet men at work, where many romances start). I am categorically happy with almost every aspect of my life right now. I want a relationship, but I don't do a lot of things where I meet single guys. So I use online dating for my dating life rather than meeting men organically. Meetup seems a better option, but haven't really found a group that fits my interests AND includes lots of single men my age.
I am in the same boat! That's why I joined meetup. And I tend to flake out. But I need to find better ways to expand my social pool.
I tried meetup a few times earlier this summer. Mixed results. I felt like a lot of the people there looked much older than I do. I had fun, and met a few people, but it didn't really lead to any romances.
I think that meetup might work better for romance indirectly. By that I mean that you expand your circle of friends so that you have more people to go out and do things with and meet others that way and maybe you'll meet someone thru one of them.
I know some people have met a significant other this way but for the most part those who are really active in MU (again, around here) tend to shy away from dating other MU people as you tend to feel you are dating the whole group and not just each other as you have the same circle of friends-even those who belong to speed date and other singles oriented MU groups.
I've noticed this same phenom in so many other places as well. I go dancing every week with a regular group and I thought I might get a date that way but I found out quickly that most don't date within the group b/c they love dancing so much that they don't want to have to quit after the romance is over. People are afraid to date coworkers and meetup pals and neighbors. OH and we can't talk to each other at the gym. And we're all walking around with ipods or texting. No wonder we're all struggling singles! The pressure is on to go out and find a date among strangers and some of us don't do well with strangers.
Are you kidding many single guys own a cat. Many apartments don't allow dogs but cats.
Yes, yes, I know, but I couldn't picture a single guy going to a group meeting regarding cats. I could more easily picture a single guy going to a group regarding dogs. I don't know why. Maybe I'm projecting, since I like dogs a lot more than cats.
Yes, yes, I know, but I couldn't picture a single guy going to a group meeting regarding cats. I could more easily picture a single guy going to a group regarding dogs. I don't know why. Maybe I'm projecting, since I like dogs a lot more than cats.
Probably projecting. But if you think about it, your odds would be good at a cat focused meetup group.
I think I need to start a Meetup group of my own. There are only a couple of singles groups here in Richmond, VA, and I go to these things to feel young (mind you I'm turning 34 in a week).
I would imagine a cat group wouldn't pull in many single guys, but a dog group ought to. If I still had an Australian Shepherd, I'd probably go to a group where we got together with our dogs.
The male/female ratio is insane at dog-related events. There ARE guys but they're the focus of EVERY woman there. Dog parks are maybe better, but my dogs don't enjoy them.
I used to show dogs (not something I enjoyed or thought was a good standard for breeding, but I was getting paid). Sometimes I'd bring whatever guy I was seeing with me. Inevitably, I would have to extract him at some point from a crowd of fawning women.
So usually whatever guys are there are vaguely traumatized or the competition is just too intense for flirting to be fun.
Men like dogs. But I'm pretty sure women like dogs more.
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