I (32 M) live in the West Springfield area. I moved there almost a year ago when buying my first place, not out of love for the location so much as it being affordable and because my condo came with a yard for my dog. I don't hate it here, but there's not much here in terms of third spaces, and I'm surrounded by families with little kids. As such, dating is not super convenient for me (neither is friendship, but that's not what this sub is for).

Maybe I'm doing something wrong (what am I saying, I was born doing something wrong), but it fees like unless you live in Arlington or close to DC, you might as well pack it in. Yeah, there are always meetups or yoga or something. But I don't like yoga (or feel much like spending the money), I have niche interests, and honestly flirting within a group setting feels like a great way to get rejected and feel deeply uncomfortable about showing my face anywhere again. And of course if you're on dating apps everyone is like "show me around DC" or "tell me your favorite spot in DC." Because of course living near DC must mean I just go there all the time. Not like there aren't an abundance of parks all over Burke, Springfield, and surrounding areas, or a variety of cool hole-in-the-wall Asian restaurants in Annandale. I've got a nice park within walking distance of my house, but no, why go there and have a nice time talking when we can shout over the music at some overpriced DC bar and pretend we aren't just doing it to plow through a checklist of bars with impossible parking instead of forming a genuine connection? Because you know, saying we met at this hot new bar is way more important than connecting honestly as people.

I may be projecting. But you can see why I may be the tiniest bit bitter about my current dating ecosystem. And I was never exactly gifted with winning people over anyway, since at least one of you is probably readying some passive-aggressive jab at my expense.

ANYWAY, before I somehow dig myself a deeper hole, can any of you all relate to my experience?