All I’m gonna say, as a fellow Happy Valley resident, is good luck!
I will note that a lot of clubs on the campus are open to alumni or interested non-students, at least the geekier clubs that I’m familiar with. For the “shooting” side of things since that was suggested, I’m not aware of any clubs but there is a very good rifle and skeet shooting range up north of town in Gray’s Woods in the Scotia Game Lands. I’m up there at least once a month, and there are usually a lot of friendly people up there shooting on nice days.
Once you figure out what you are actually looking to do, club-wise, I can talk to some of my buddies who are on campus (grad school or job) and see if there are any organizations I’m not aware of that might be up your alley.
Also: I know it’s not the thrust of your comment, but if you’re looking for knitting groups anyway, I can get some suggestions from my wife.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t close with a “Happy Valley, eh? How you doin’?”
I think the intent of that advice was to join a fishing club or some such, so you’d be in the same boat after going to a few sportsmen’s club meetings and shooting the bull with some guys.
But it’s been my experience that older men in those groups want their men-only zone, but guys in my age range (25-35) welcome the interest in their hobby.
Nobody here is talking about going hiking by yourself and walking up to people and saying “hi guys! Wanna be friends?”
We’re talking about joining organized hiking activities, where strangers are absolutely welcome.
Did you not notice that people in this thread have made several suggestions for established outdoor groups that are suitable for people out of college? Most of these clubs have activities for different skill levels.
Here. I’ll reiterate since you obviously missed it:
–The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC)–Wide variety of outdoor activities, including different levels of hikes. (I’ve done activities with them.)
–The Sierra Club–AFAIK, similar to the AMC
–American Youth Hostels–Wide variety of outdoor activities. (I’ve done activities with them.)
–Activities sponsored by local outdoor stores. I’ve done and led this type of trip. Again, there are different activities for different skill levels.
–Friends of Ohiopyle–Great local club. (I’ve done activities with them.) Lots of neat activities. A little far from State College, but may be worth making a weekend of it.
As you can see, I’m speaking from personal experience. Hiking or doing outdoor activities with a club is a very easy way to meet people.
To the OP–I’d also suggest going to any community street fairs that may be around. I’m not sure what they have in State College, but around here there are frequent little street fairs which usually include lots of booths from local clubs. So you can wander around and see what might strike your fancy and who seems friendly.
There are various “outdoorsy people” clubs for grown-ups too, not just college kids. I can think of a few off the top of my head in the area and I’m not a member of any of them. (One of the is called “The Outdoor Club”).
Also, a lot of outdoorsy clubs have things posted on the bulleting boards at outfitters like REI wich is a great way to find out about them, and they often ink to similar organizations on their websites.
I am involved in, have been involved in or have close friends that were/are involved in all the following. Sailing club, running club, walking club, hiking club, scuba diving club, paddling/kayaking club, caving club, astronomy club, snow sking club, bike riding club, flying club and probably a few more that I am currently forgetting.
None of those were dominated by college students, even a couple that were actually sponsored by local colleges. These all had a good range of ages. And experience levels from rank beginnners to people who could get National Geo funding if they tried.
Some, I had no interest in the activities at all, like the running club. Even still, I was welcome with open arms to all their social functions as a guest even though I couldnt give two hoots about running.
With the internet today, it should be a breeze to find some club that piques your interest that is doing something within driving distance filled with folks just looking to make new friends and show a newby the ropes.
YOu are absolutely correct about “shooting ranges”.
Notice, I did NOT!!! say go to a shooting range.
I did NOT!!! say go hunting.
I said to go to a sportsmans club, or to a gun club. Gun clubs are not shooting ranges. Sure, they have shooting ranges, but that is not what they are about. Gun clubs, and sportsman clubs, are social organizations. Yeah, they are composed of people who own and shoot guns.
…but in America all kinds of people shoot guns!!!
A gun club, or a sportsmans club, is a social organization, whose members spend a lot more hours dancing, eating dinners, teaching, doing benefits, having meetings, than actually shooting. The purpose of a gun club is to meet people and get friends.
Pennsylvania?..are you kidding? Pennsylvania is pro-gun.
yeah! theres gotta be a gun club, or a sportsmans club, or a hunting club, nearly anywhere in that state, and in every county
(…and as far as this “fishing club”??? that you speak of, Ive never heard of a fishing club)
YOu seem to know a lot about “fishing clubs”, and I have never heard of one.
Where is a fishing club in Pennsylvania?
What does a fishing club do?
Do they have lodges, like gun clubs? The gun and sportsman clubs have lots and lots of land, lots of different gun and archery ranges and cowboy action buildings to shoot at , they have some shooting ranges you walk thru the woods and shoot at clay pigeons released at random, or pop up deer targets, etc, there is always a big lodge room, and a kitchen, where they have meetings, dinners, dances, events, fireworks, etc. they have playgrounds for the kids, they have classrooms, and hold classes for people wanting to carry concealed weapons, they have classes for learning how to shoot all the different shooting sports, they have classes for youngsters in learning how to shoot, and how to hunt, …etc. etc.
Since I have never heard of a “fishing club”, and never been to one…
What does a “fishing club” have? Do they have lodges surrounded by rivers and lakes? Do they hold dances and dinners?
Let me get this straight… but dont you need a sailboat to be in a “sailing club”??? and dont you need a pilots license ($10,000.00) to be in a flying club (I used to fly, and I was in a “flying club”, we shared an airplane/co-owners, but we never had a social organization and we never had dances or get togethers - we just scheduled different hours to fly)?
…OK, and lets forget about college clubs, because this woman is past college age, and I will agree that you can have fun at most college clubs if you get the right kids in it.
The only walking club I know of, you have to be about 65 years old to join, and all they do is walk around the mall. Who else but an old person would join a “walking club”? Are you trying to tell us that lots of single men in their 20’s are members of walking clubs? I dont belieive it!
I used to be in a skiing club. Most skiing clubs break down by age/marital status/employer/alcoholic-nonalcoholic, and they dont really do much in the summer other than… maybe… meet once a month. Regardless, its not a club that you can actually do something, to meet and make friends, on a weekly or more frequent basis. Once a month wont cut it for the other 30 days in the month.
I Dont know of any running club, and I dont know of any bike riding club, and why would a running or bike club have a clubhouse, lodge, social meeting place, condusive to meeting and making friends?
Is there a clubhouse for bike riders and runners, where if you dont have anything to do monday night, or sunday, or Friday morning, you can go there and hang out and do something? Do running and bike clubs have “social events”? I dont know, I am just asking. Do experienced talented runners and bikes who have been doing it for their whole lives and are good at it, really want to spend time with brand new beginners who are not really into running, or biking per se, but just want to do it occasionally or at least not take a serious chunk out of her life ? Seems to me… I dont know why experinced men who have been biking or running for a long time, would want or even be able to spend much time with a new beginner lady just joining. Why would they want to?
Scuba diving isnt too cheap either, and you need a license, and you need a lake or ocean, and I never heard of a social scuba diving association that is really a social place to go.
I dont know of any astronomy clubs, nor any social clubs based on astronomy. I like astronomy, but we dont have any astronomy clubhouses around here.
Caving? I was never good enough to keep up with people who cave on a regular basis. Anyway, my idea of a good time is not getting dirtier, more wet, colder, darker, and more dangerous. Secondly, lots of states dont have many caves, and how many times can you go down the same cave? Not everybody lives in Tennessee or Kentucky. What social organizations and clubhouses are there? Do cavers have dances and raffles and dinners? (the last “wild cave” tour I was supposed to go on, the people in front of us died when their rope broke…Really!!!)
Paddling and kayaking club. Are you seriously trying to tell us that there are social clubs for this?
Seems to me, that you are just listing a few activities, that sometimes can be organized.
Aside from the ski clubs, I really dont think any of the others you list are actually “social clubs”…and virutally no ski club is a “hangout”, and has no home brick and mortar building like a gun club, or the Elks, or the Masons, or the Moose, etc.
Even if you joined a “cave organization”, or a “running club”, that aint gonna help this girl on a Sunday afternoon that suddenly opens up with nothing to do.
Besides, I think you missed her objective. She stated that it isnt really the sport itself that she wants to do. Her objective is social.
These are just my opinions and my first impressions, and how I would look at all these possible activities. OK, why would I want to join a running club to meet people? …I really dont want to “run” at all, and besides, running is tiring and sweaty and I cant hold a conversation very well while I am gaspoing for breath.
Go ahead and show me how wrong I am.
I want you to explain to me that being in an astronomy club at 3 am in the morning is going to get me to meet with more men in a social setting … instead of at the local sportsmans lodge with all my male buddies who all want to help me
Susanann, yes, around here, there ARE lots of organizations especially on campus here that have exactly the same structure you’re talking about–group events, support for beginners, meetups, hanging-out places and mixers, etc. This is a college town, after all.
In particular–the glider flying club has a $150-semester dues last I checked, and has instructor support, regular meetings, and all that. So does the kayak/canoe club.
Besides, the OP herself said she’s also looking to get into new hobbies as well as meet men. Or did you miss that bit?
Susanann–Nobody can “show you that you’re wrong” because you’re unwilling to accept that your experiences and preferences and expectations are not universal.
I simply can not understand why you are dismissing suggestions based on people’s actual knowledge and experience because it’s something you haven’t heard of or that you might not find appealing.
You also seem to be working from a very different set of assumptions. You can not assume that your idea of what a “club” or a “social” can be is the same as everyone else’s.
Do you really think that people can only socialize at designated “social” events? Do you really think that a club has to have a brick-and-mortar location to permit socialization? Do you really think that people don’t socialize while doing various sports and activities? Do you really think that a club has to offer 24/7 social opportunities in order to be valuable for socialization?
Perhaps you are working from a different regional context. Where do you live? I, and other people in this thread, are quite familiar with Pennsylvania, and are giving general or specific advice based on what they know is available in the OP’s area. And I do find it hard to believe that outdoor sports enthusiasts in any region are usually as nastily insular as you suggest. Perhaps it’s just the circles you move in.
Furthermore, I’m not sure why you assume that experienced and knowledgable people would be unwilling to teach and help a new person. I’ve found that enthusiasts love to share what they’re enthusiastic about. And they know that bringing new people into the fold is necessary, because new people are just baby experienced people.
No. Sailors are often looking for people to crew on their boats. You’d probably have to know someone to be invited to do something like that, but you definitely don’t need your own boat to get into sailing.
The yacht clubs around my hometown do regular “Thirsty Thursday” races, which are fun races after which the sailors adjourn to one of the clubs for dinner and drinks. (is that officially “social” enough for you?) The captains always were looking for crew members or even people to serve as movable ballast.
That’s your personal experience. It is not universal.
That’s your personal experience. It’s not universal.
Why would someone need to meet so often to make friends? I’ve often been invited to other social activities by people I’ve spent one day with on an outdoor sports trip. Perhaps I have better social skills than you do.
Besides, riding to and from the ski area and hanging out at the lodge (or wherever) are excellent opportunities to get to know people. Same for paddling, scuba-diving, caving, destination bike rides, and about a thousand other types of things.
Do you really think people on a paddling trip together don’t chat while they’re paddling and traveling to and from the destination? Do you think they don’t get to know each other on breaks? Do you think they drive a couple of hours to a destination and don’t stop to get something to eat on the way back?
She would not be welcome on certain types of rides, particularly serious training rides where the riders are expected to maintain the same pace so that they can practice drafting and pelotons and things like that. But again, lots of bike clubs do fun rides.
Because they’re nice?
Because she’s cute and pleasant to have around?
Because they’re single guys who are interested in meeting a single woman who shares an interest?
And why would she expect whatever activity she joins to instantly fulfill ALL of her social needs and desires? She doesn’t expect that. Nobody sane would expect that.
I’m sure she can find something to do on that Sunday afternoon. Like calling one of her new friends from her new hobby organization. You know–someone who is willing to hang out with her because he or she likes her, not because he or she is forced to because of physical proximity in a clubhouse or lodge.
I never denied that colleges have mixers, hangouts, parties, and lots of activities for their students, esp kids between 18-21…they do!..but for kids who are in college, primarily ages 18-21 and who are dependent on their parents for their support.
Hey!! College clubs are great!..However, this person said she is in her mid-20’s, so meeting a young immature 18 year old unemployed college kid, half of which still live at home with Mommy, “for a prospective date” is probably NOT what she is looking for.
No. She did not say she is looking to get into new hobbies, “as well as meet men”. Her objective clearly is to meet men. Meeting men, for prospective dates, above the college age, is apparently her main objective, and she doesnt seem to want to get all sweaty just for the smell of it.
I recommended a sportsmans club taking up shooting since it is heavily, but not exclusively male, but it is composed of males who fawn over women wanting to learn the shooting sports, and sportsmans clubs are primarily social , have mature men over age 21, lots of single men from all walks of life and all spectrums of income. I cant think of a better hobby or place to get a bunch of men to surround you.
Sure, if you are 1 in a million who look like Shania Twain then almost any activity will find men following you, but for most women who invade male territory, the shooting sprots is alone in any female easily getting a large, over the age of 21, single, employed, wide variety of male following.
Yes, I invite criticism of my idea, and even I" would like to find something different other ideas that tops my idea, that is a better place to find men who flock to a new, all around average single women , has a place to hang, and is so friendly to newcomers.
I would love for you guys to come up with something better than what I have found, so her question and my posts are for me too.
Most “activities/sports clubs”, that you guys have come up with, are pretty much JUST activity, and not necessarily all that welcoming to beginners, esp beginners who dont want to exercise for exercise itself and they dont have a brick and mortar hangout where you can regularly do social activities. The Elks, Moose, Shriners, Rotary, VFW, are full of old people, mostly married, who like to drink and not really physically do much of anything - BUT THEY ARE SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS!..so the trick is to find a social organization that has young single men who can afford to do lots of stuff, not just shoot guns or drink beer.
Susanann - this isn’t a debate. Nobody is right or wrong. The OP asked for ideas and she has received a bunch of ideas. Personally, I think a gun club or Elks Lodge isn’t what the OP is looking for but I’m not going to criticize the suggestion. Your experience seems to be that clubs are full of men that don’t want women around. That may true for you, but as others have pointed out, it isn’t a universal phenomenon.
When the OP was written we had no idea of her location, age, or type of person she was seeking.
To the OP: you state you are in your 20s. College kids are in their 20s, but you have indicated that they are just “college kids.” Hell, I’m 38 and I take college classes. I am sure there are plenty of eligible guys in your area, especially if you are in a college town.
I think the best advice was upthread: figure out what type of guy you want to meet, then go where they are.
I have to side somewhat with Susanann here because she makes a point also because the OP doesn’t really want ‘exercise’. I also think a gun club/archery is a GREAT idea for a woman wishing to meet men.
Beyond that the advice to picture the type of men you wish to meet, what they do and go there applies…but is very vague.
How about an investment club? These clubs are male dominated and being a member of this kind of club probably means they are more sophisticated about money. If not a club, there are usually some one-off meetings…like Investors Business Daily did around the country.
There are usually quite a few of these one-off meetings and/or conferences of many different kinds in a metropolitian area - especially for business related topics. Pick some that sound kind-of interesting and go. The men you meet will be attending because they are fully involved in their careers…and isn’t this a type of man you’d like to meet? Take my word for it…there are many decent guys out there that work hard and are going places but would also love to have a relationship but haven’t gotten around to it and/or have trouble meeting women…and they are at these things. You also meet them where they are the most comfortable and willing to take a risk (like approaching you).
Another possibility is a part time job where you are interfacing with many people. For example, working as a waitress in a business district…where men get off work and hit a happy hour. Men doing this are employed but have a good chance of being single because if they are married they mostly would be heading home.
She made a point and now seems to be desperately trying to prove that joining a gun club is the only activity where the OP can possibly have fun and meet friendly men in the entire universe.
Giltathriel: like card games? Join a local free poker league. Men invariably outnumber women- but not terrifyingly so.
She has poo pooed every other good suggestion everyone else has based on their own REAL LIFE experiences, as if we are just making this stuff up.
I’ve been involved in or know people involved in just about EVERY thing listed here and then some more. Some certainly aint my cup of tea, but I hear the stories of how so and so had fun and socialized with folks doing such and such with the such and such club.
The ironic thing is, the ONLY one thing I’ve never heard good time stories of or even know people who are members of is the ONE thing she thinks is so great, a gun club. And I live in the deep south where people love guns and shootin at shit.
Maybe around here, people actually have funner things to do than shot at shit
Uh, this is a major university that’s effectively in the middle of nowhere that we’re talking about here. The “college clubs” have an excellent selection of local residents, upper division grad students, and college professors in addition to the youth. I should know, I’ve been in every club I specifically mentioned at one time or another.
