mrplunkey said:
Volunteer work is a *great* way to meet women. If the frat scene isn't for you, join a service fraternity. I did, and you can really run into some nice people.
Also, pick labor-intense drives (i.e. food collection, feed the poor, cleanup, etc. etc.). It gives you good time on the ground to interact with the women.
I went to a speech on democracy in human rights in Burma and talked to a woman afterwards. She seemed to have a nice personality, some emotional maturity, etc. Most of the women I've met at events like that seemed to be open, friendly and mature.
This will sound lame, but I am a late bloomer at this stuff. I am assertive and self confident, but most of the time in the past when I have asked a woman out it turned out badly. When I first started actually trying with women (I was almost 25 before I actually started attempting to actively meet women), I would ask them out w/o waiting for signs that they were interested in me. As a result I would alienate the hell out of them. Not only that but I had far less verbal skill than I do now.
Now, in 2006, I am able to approach women and have a decent conversation, and finding women who show signs of interest is not too hard. But now I am finding myself unable to ask for contact info because I am deep down inside still worried about situations like I had back in 2004 and 2005.
I guess to me, talking to women is about forming a meaningful connection between two people. From going from strangers to aquaintances, and finding new people to talk to. But when I ask women out they get alienated, and I feel like every mental connection I made is ruined.
Point is, I would rather have decent conversations with tons of women, make tons of aquantances, have alot of decent conversations and find out about many new people and never ask a woman out than alienate tons of women and get a handful of dates.
As an example, back in 2005 there was a girl I considered asking out. But she never gave any signs of interest. Luckily I didn't, and in the last few weeks at school we have become pretty good friends. She is pretty mature, and someone I enjoy being around. we hang out about 2-3x a month. If I had asked her out back then chances are I never could've had this friendship that I have with her now as we would've alienated each other.
So if anyone has any constructive advice on how to overcome this I'd like to hear it. I don't want to be doing this when I am 30. I want to know how to continue to make aquantances and friends, but still be able to get dates. I am thinking I should just find the women that show signs of interest, then give them a way to contact me. That seems to be the least pressurized.
And again, I am a late bloomer. Most men start interacting with women at age 10 or 11. I started at 25, so just think of me as a 14 year old.