So you’ve been single and very available for a while and ready to change your status. There’s just one problem – you don’t know where to start. Or perhaps all of your efforts thus far have failed and gotten you nowhere. Maybe you’re looking in all the wrong places, or even worse, maybe you’re clueless about where to even start looking. Let’s face it – love just doesn’t come as easily for some of us than it does for others. It’s quite ridiculous how some people can so easily jump from one relationship to the next with no break in between. It’s like a hobby and talent for some while it’s totally impossible for others. You might have the best looks or personality and still struggle with finding love. Even some of the hottest celebrities have struggled to find the perfect match.

To make your search for love or lust a little easier, we’ve compiled this list of fifteen of the top known and successful places to find love. Some of these might be obvious and you’ve just never given it a shot or didn’t know how to go about initiating a conversation. Others might have been easily overlooked for whatever reason. Regardless, don’t be afraid to make the most of every opportunity.

15. A College Class

You may already have a degree or two and are not really interested in re-enrolling for another college course. But consider it an investment in both your education and possibly your love life. School is a really ideal atmosphere for “partnering up.” You have to work with total strangers to complete long projects that require late nights and frequent communication. So if you’re out of ideas on where to meet a significant other, start here. Be strategic and sign up for a bigger class with more options (ahem, fish in the sea) to choose from. Then, make it a point to sit next to that particular person in every class. It’ll feel like high school all over again.

14. The Gym

Most people join a gym to work out on their own, but nowadays, a lot of people do hope to make connections. This is why small cross fit centers and pilates classes are becoming more popular. People are interested in connecting with a small group of familiar faces every time they work out so that they have accountability as well as a small community. Gyms are actually now seen as ideal place to network and hook up. The best gyms to join if you’re interested in hooking up are most likely the larger YMCA or 24-Hour Fitness gyms with multiple classes to choose from where you are more likely to make closer contact with people.

13. On a Plane

This might be a good reason to stop wearing your sweatpants and Saturday morning attire on long flights. You never know who you might end up sitting next to and might want to be a bit prepared to make an impression. Believe it or not, many successful couples hook up on long flights. Being stuck sitting next to someone for several hours makes a great formula for intimate conversations and personal connections. Also, you already have something in common with this once random stranger – your destination (which would also make a great conversation starter). So, if you find that seat mate to be extra good-looking, don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation and see where it leads.

12. The Supermarket

How many times have you been to the supermarket and noticed a random stranger looking extra fly but never had the courage or nerve to approach him/her? This happens all the time and usually you just go on with your day and continue shopping because he/she might not have the time to chit-chat. But you don’t have to let this opportunity slip by if you consider the fact that starting small talk doesn’t hurt. If you’re already in the same aisle looking at similar products, then this is a great conversation starter. You never know where it might go and if you’d actually impress him/her with your initiative.

11. The Bar

They say, “the club isn’t the best place to find a lover. The bar is where I go.” Clubs and lounges are too loud and busy to really make anything genuine or special happen. The bar is the ideal place for making personal connections. If someone catches your eye, it’s normal to offer to buy him/her a drink, sit down, and initiate a conversation. This situation is so common that it’s the typical romance-budding scene seen in movies and television shows. But the reality is that many successful romances bud over a beer and some small talk that eventually lead to deeper heart-to-hearts.

10. Church

There is perhaps no deeper connection you can share with someone than a common religion and faith. Studies also show that couples that share one religion have a higher success rate than couples who practice different religions. So if you’re already affiliated with a certain religious sect, it’s about time to start making regular church attendance a priority. You never know if getting involved in choir or Sunday school classes might open doors for you to make more intimate connections. Also, getting to know someone through church often means getting to know their family and other members of their close community as well, making a relationship easier to form.

9. Work

Oh, look at you… you’re already spending forty hours a week in the same building. You might as well enjoy your time and spark a flame. However, just be wary of initiating anything inappropriate that might violate any company policies. At the same time, don’t be afraid to let love happen if it happens. Work romances happen all the time and many of them are successful. I’ve known many couples who met at work, grew their relationship outside of the office, and ended up married. This could be you. Although, one of you might want to find a new employer eventually. I know I wouldn’t want to work with my spouse considering I already live with him.

8. An Online Dating Site

This is quite an obvious option but surprisingly most people are pretty hesitant about signing up for a dating site. It’s usually more of a last-resort type of option that you end up doing out of a dare or because your sister created a profile for you. However, the statistics are real and show a staggering number of successful relationships that have worked out via websites like Match.com and e-Harmony. I personally know of a couple that met on e-Harmony and is still married to this day. They are such a great couple that you’d never guess nor care that they met online.

7. Meet-up Groups

The nice thing about meet-up groups is that you know that the other people in the group are in the same boat as you. You’re all like-minded people who are desperate to meet someone, so you end up joining a pre-arranged group of total strangers that share at least one awkward commonality. But seriously, the stranger your group is, the more likely you are to develop a unique bond with your group mates who can appreciate your odd and rare interests. This is such a unique breeding ground for a fun relationship to form. So, take the risk and meet people who share even your weirdest interests.

6. Your High School Reunion

Ever think about all of the guys or gals you might have looked over while in high school? The ones that weren’t totally fugly and are probably hot as hell now? Well, if you’re still single and frequently dreaming about your high school days, then a high school reunion would totally be your type of shin-dig. You might have lost the opportunity back then, but that’s what reunions are for – so that you don’t end up living your life in regret. Also, chances are pretty high that other people are also attending the high school reunion for the same reason.

5. The Laundromat

Everyone needs to hit up the laundromat at some point and time in their lives, even those who own their own washers and dryers. Whether you need to wash blankets and heavy loads or your own machines just breaks down, you might find yourself stuck in a laundromat for a couple hours during the weekend. It’s actually a great place to meet other people who are also waiting on their laundry with nothing better to do other than stare at their smartphones or passively watch the lame soap opera channel that’s on. If you see someone who catches your eye, don’t be afraid to start a conversation. Chances are they’re also bored and interested in meeting someone new.

4. The Pool

This is an ideal place to connect with someone, especially if there’s a pool in your apartment complex or hotel and you’re actually staying in the same proximity as the other person. It’s something you both have in common making it easier to find conversation starters, perhaps about the room service, HOA, rowdy neighbors, or what to do in the area. Also, people usually hang out at the pool because they don’t have much else on the agenda and don’t mind striking up a conversation with a random stranger. So you might find it an easy place to make a friend or two and see where else it might lead you.

3. The Bookstore

The bookstore is one of my favorite places to meet people, particularly because it’s not a library so you don’t have to worry about interrupting anyone’s quiet space. Also, people can really bond over what they’re reading. Some people are avid readers and followers of certain authors. They’re so passionate about what they’re reading that they wouldn’t hesitate to talk about it with a complete stranger. It’s an easy way to connect on a totally different level particularly because the book that someone is reading can tell you a lot about him or her. So don’t be afraid to add some commentary and see where it goes.

2. A Wedding

Love is already in the air and most importantly, you already have a common denominator – the bride or groom or both. If you end up sitting near someone who’s there at the wedding without an attached date, then chances are pretty high that they’re also available. In fact, many married couples have stories about having met at a wedding. So the next time you’re nervous about attending a wedding alone, don’t be. You never know who you might end up sitting next to at the reception or ceremony who is also without a date and wouldn’t mind meeting someone new.

1. A Mutual Friend

Because this is the real reason why weddings are such great places to meet a lover, it also means that you don’t have to just meet them at a wedding. Getting to know friends of friends is so easy to do these days, especially with social media sites like Linkedin and Facebook. I’ve actually known a real sweet couple who met over Facebook because they shared similar opinions regarding a common friend’s post. Meeting via a mutual friend (whether or not that friend actually did any cupid work) is one of the least intimidating ways to connect with a random stranger.