5 Tips to Attend the Young Alumni Happy Hour

Singles Events Tips for What to Do Over Thanksgiving Weekend: Plan on Attending Your School’s Young Alumni Happy Hour Mixer

Singles Event Tip #1:  Where Did You Grow Up?

OK, yes, I went to the same school from Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade.  So, yes, you just might think I knew everyone in the school, their brothers and sisters and even start to suspect that I knew everyone in the same town where I grew.  In a way it sometimes felt like I knew everyone and sometimes that could feel a little Stepford Wives-esque.  And other times, I knew there literally thousands upon thousands of people in the same town where I lived where we simply never met each other.

Singles Event Tip #2:  When Are You a Young Alumni?

So when I receive the annual invitation to the “Young Alumni Happy Hour” events that my prep school loosely sponsors (it’s a no-host bar, they pick a venue, the alumni and a few representatives from the school show up), I almost choke on my coffee because I haven’t been a “young” alumni in years.  Technically “Young Alumni” is supposed to be for those who graduated from my school within the past few years.  However, of course, you graduate at 18 years old and the legal drinking age in New Jersey is 21 years old.   So the Happy part of the Happy Hour we wouldn’t even have been eligible to participate in until we’d been graduated for over 3 years.  I’m just pointing this out to be tongue in cheek.

Singles Event Tip #3:  What Does It Mean to Be a Young Alumni?

Well, by the time I’d been of legal drinking age, I was across the country from the events the times that they occurred.  However, I have friends and relatives who circled back and lived somewhat locally a number of years later.  They got the invitation and rather than viewing the label of “Young Alumni” as something which precluded them, they went ahead and showed up.  Their mindset was one of Self-Inclusion.

Singles Event Tip #4:  Who Will Attend a Young Alumni Happy Hour Mixer?

Additionally, they were not self-deluded that there would be 75 people from their class year showing up.  Sure, the event was attended by primarily the early 20 somethings from my school and maybe a local friend or two of theirs.  And who else?  My buddy and it turns out, 1 or 2 people they had known as well.  1 or 2.  1 or 2 is not necessarily your long lost love high school sweetheart (although it could be…. ya never know… ).  However, 1 or 2 is conversations and connections with people in your demographic.  It is softly stretching and expanding your social circle.  It is you having an excuse to spiff up just a bit and go out and meet and mingle.  It is one more evening when you are not just sitting at home watching television and eating your dinner alone.  If you are traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday and you’ll be nearby your hometown, plan to attend the Happy Hour Mixer.  Additionally, if you live locally and thought this event was only interesting to those who are traveling, decided to include yourself, spiff up a bit, and go.  You never know who you’re going to run into and just go with the goal of having a fun time and you’ll always succeed.

Singles Event Tip #5:  Where Are All the Available Singles Your Age?

So often I hear from singles of different age groups, and I have say, I actually hear this same lament from the 30 somethings, the Over 40 crowd, the After 50s, and Over 60 Senior singles.  I hear this from every decade of singles.  They want to know, “Which bar has all the singles in their 50s and 60s?”  Or for whatever decade they are.  As if I’m holding out of them and there is precisely one place where the singles in their decade are dressing and going to hang at and somehow they don’t know the secret location or we’re keeping it a secret from them.

There is no one single place where all those singles are spiffing up and hanging out in cool crowds, mingling and enjoying social conversation and flirting together without you.

Not even all of the internet dating sites are actually those mythical venues, although sometimes it can almost feel like the world of online dating sites and apps is.

You’ll need to make a conscious and concerted effort to socialize and meet new people in order to also result in meeting available singles in your demographic.

Keep your eyes peeled for those “Young Alumni” Happy Hours and go ahead and include yourself.  Compare stories of what it was like at your school in your day with those who graduated just in the past few years and you never know who else around your own age just might show up. Certainly with the prep school which I attended for oh-so many years, we were always bringing along friends from other years, teachers, and other relatives who either went to the same school or were from the same town.

Enjoy socializing and keep an open mind about what events you select to attend.  By doing so, you increase your chances of finding love and you enrich your life, making you a more desirable life partner at any age!

Happy Dating and Relationships,

April Braswell

Internet Dating and Relationship Expert

As seen in Dating for Dummies, 3rd Edition

April Braswell speaks to singles in Singles Groups and Divorce Recovery Groups as well as at Singles Dating Workshops and Singles Conferences.  Looking to Hire April to speak at your Singles Event?