With the stress of class, studying, friends and maybe even a job, college students usually need a break when the weekend comes around. Those who are able, might hit up bars or clubs with their friends, perhaps looking for something more than just a hookup. But should people looking for a relationship continue to go to bars and clubs in hopes of meeting Mr. or Mrs. Right?
“I feel that bars, and clubs especially, are not the best places to meet people because of the high alcohol content,” said Jim Albertson, a senior at Colorado Mesa University. “I think people act differently and I don’t get a good impression from a really drunk girl. So, in my opinion they aren’t the best places to meet potential boyfriends or girlfriends.”
While not every person in a bar or club is against a serious introduction, there is a prevalent belief that people who are out at these types of places are looking for a no-strings-attached relationship. Some also believe that bars and clubs do not allow people to truly get to know one another, but Elissa Cheng, a sophomore at California State University, Long Beach, disagrees.
“I’m not against going to clubs to meet guys. Guys that can dance are really attractive to me and I actually met someone at a club a couple weeks ago. He’s a really sweet, nice guy,” Cheng said.
While college students may remain divided in their opinions, dating expert David Coleman, also known as “America’s Real Life Hitch,” does not recommend going to bars and clubs to start a serious relationship.
“Alcohol gets in the way. Someone is either more outgoing or more inhibited when they are under the influence of alcohol, music and friends. So, when you go to a bar, you really have no idea who you’re meeting,” Coleman said.
He believes there are many other places that offer great opportunities to meet people of the opposite sex under more relaxed and comfortable settings. Still, people can meet their future partners anywhere and Coleman pointed out that college students are more likely to meet at a bar or club because they frequent these places much more than adults.
Understanding and identifying the traits you want in a long-term partner and what the deal breakers are, is a crucial part of finding the right person. It is also important to differentiate between meeting someone and getting to know someone. “You can ‘meet’ someone at a bar, but you can’t get to know them at a bar. If the initial introduction happens at a bar, I highly suggest you have a secondary introduction where no friends or alcohol are interfering,” Coleman said.
Coleman advised to exercise caution and suggested observing the way people of the opposite sex are treating others, the language they are using and the number of drinks they are having. “I think people tell each other everything they need to know about each other before they ever say a word.”
