When it comes to finding love, there is no one size fits all.
Many are often advised that in order to find love, you need to get out of the house, which often seems daunting for introverts.
TikTok user Sarah Balls is one of the lucky few who had her future husband come knocking at her door.
@mylittlewanderings My housemate boyfriend #datingstorytime #housemate #storytime #datingadvice #datinglife #datinginyour30s #datinginyour20s ♬ original sound - Sarah Balls
According to a recent video shared by the TikTokker, she had just turned 28 years and was moving out of her parents home when she met her current husband.
“A year ago today, I was turning 28 and I was moving out of mum and dad’s house for the first time into my own place. I’d been single for a couple of years and my mum was saying like, ‘Sarah you know you actually have to start going out somewhere and putting yourself out there and try to meet people, because if you want to find someone, no one is going to come to your door’,” Balls said.
The TikTokker goes on to reveal that because of her fear of living alone, she decided to get a house-mate to help pay for the house.
To cut a long story short, despite her seeking a female house-mate, her husband became her house-mate and, as fate would have it, they became house-mates, close friends and lovers.
Now it’s not everyone who will be fortunate enough like Balls and have your future spouse come knocking at your door. However, there are common everyday places where you could meet Mr Right or Mrs Right.
If you’re tired of the leave house mumbo jumbo and are looking for “tried-and-tested” places to meet your future spouse, here are some common places you could be overlooking.
Online dating sites
According to explodingtopics.com, the average person spends six hours and 58 minutes per day on screens connected to the internet.
So chances are, your future spouse could be online. Many couples have had success on popular dating sites such as Tinder, Hinge and Bumble.
For some, meeting the love of your life could be as simple as answering your DM on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook or Instagram, which are not dating sites but have success stories.
A social event organised by a friend
Whether this is a mutual friend or a friend of a friend, the beauty of meeting a person at social events is that someone knows them, and they may come with a referral.
There are plenty of social events on the calendar to attend; it could be a house warming party, a wedding, braai or birthday celebration. The possibilities are endless so don’t be shy to put yourself out there.
Work
Though workplace romances are often frowned upon, “work” husbands and wives sometimes do become real live spouses.
Since some spend most of their time at the office and at work, the workplace is still a surprisingly common way to meet a partner. Contrary to popular belief workplace romances are the ones most likely to end in marriage.
The airport
According to a study by the Flight Centre Group, most people are travelling and looking for love so chances of meeting your partner at the airport are high.
The data from the travel group revealed that 63% of South African Zillennials (Gen Z and Millennials) actively seek romantic connections when travelling abroad.
Technology has also made it easy to keep connections alive from anywhere around the world, making long distance relationships easier to navigate.
Gym
The gym is an excellent way to meet new people in a relatively relaxed environment and since you’re both already going to gym, that means you have similar interests.
Be open and friendly and if you need help, do say. Try not to be locked into your headphones because it signals not having interest in meeting new people.
The grocery store
At the end of the day, everyone has to eat right? The grocery store is the most common place everyone goes to every month.
Think after 5pm, Woolies, Pick n Pay or Spar. A grocery run could turn into walking down the aisle in the future.
You’ll never know when your luck will strike.