involved in a particular activity. For example, if you want to meet people close to your 
own age, try to get involved in activities that attract people in your age group.
It’s not enough just to be around other people. To meet them, it will be necessary 
to take social risks in the situation. For openers, you should maintain eye contact, make 
a point of saying hello, and be sure to smile from time to time. Casual contact is more 
likely to develop into a friendship or relationship if you purposely engage in conversa -
tion. As you get to know someone, you will need to take bigger risks such as asking that 
person to meet you for coffee, go to a movie, or join you for a day’s outing to a park or 
a museum.
Meeting People Online
Internet dating is a very popular way to meet people. The Internet Dating Guide  ( www  
.theinternetdatingguide.com) reports that about 30 percent of American singles 
have used matchmaking sites. According to Online Dating Magazine  (www.onlinedating  
magazine.com), twenty million Americans visit an online dating service each month, 
120,000 marriages per year occur as a result of an online dating service, and about a 
third of Americans know someone who has used an online dating service. The Internet is 
also a great source of information about ways for singles to meet. Simply enter the name 
of your city and the word “singles” into a search engine (for example, Google), and you