The dating pool in college is already pretty small, especially on more isolated campuses, and by now, you’re probably sick of seeing Tinder taunt you about having no one new around you. It only complicates things when you don’t know which girls on campus are into girls – there’s no secret code, after all. Don’t worry, though; there are plenty of available cuties around. You’ve just already met them!
It might seem awkward to rekindle things with girls you’ve already ended it with or to chat with an acquaintance from two years ago, but look at it this way: You get to skip the small talk. People change a lot in college, so maybe the girl who wasn’t right for you first semester is senior year’s Princess Charming.
1. The Girl From Orientation
Okay, so your freshman orientation was a long time ago. And yes, sometimes you cringe when you think about the people you met there whom you thought would be your BFFs but now you just awkwardly avoid in the hallways. But it wasn’t all bad – maybe it’s time to reconnect with the girl you were flirting with before college life made you way too busy. The next time you see her around, find an excuse to grab coffee and see if she’s just as great as you remember.
2. Your Floormate From Last Year
You've basically lived together, so by now you probably know each other pretty well. After all, sharing a bathroom gets people pretty comfortable with one another! So now that dormcest is no longer a concern, maybe it’s time to get to know each other in a different way. Grab a bite to eat and see where reminiscing leads.
3. The “Is She or Isn’t She?” Girl
You guys have talked and joked, but you were never quite sure if she was really into girls (and maybe she wasn’t sure if you were either). But it’s a new year, and you might just find that it’s worth a shot. Break out those snooping skills, and see if you two are destined to be more than friends!
4. Your Former Lab Partner
You could feel some sparks (ones that weren’t from the Bunsen burner), but you figured it was too complicated; what if you broke up and were stuck mixing chemicals together for the rest of the semester? That’s no longer a concern, and you already know each other well enough that it’s totally not weird to text her to hang out. What do you have to lose?
5. The One Who Got Away
It happens. You were crazy about her, but a stupid fight or a semester abroad really messed up what you had going. If she’s available, swallow your pride and see if getting back together is a good idea or if you were really destined to be a sad Taylor Swift song. The worst that can happen is you stay broken up, but if it works out, you’ll be closer than ever.
6. The Girl You See Everywhere
She’s president of the Pride chapter at your school. You sat near her in your writing seminar. She always seems to be ahead of you in line at Starbucks. Make the plunge and stop skirting around each other; you can’t help but notice how gorgeous she is every time you see her, and you know you have similar interests. Find an excuse to talk, whether through a mutual friend or even by saying exactly what you’re thinking—“I feel like I see you everywhere!”—and see where it takes you.
7. The Cute Freshman
A three- or four-year age difference used to be weird, but in college, a junior dating a freshman isn’t out of the ordinary. It might a little complicated, but it’ll be nice to see a fresh face or two around campus once the new crop of freshmen arrive. Strike up a conversation and flirt your way to a new relationship with a great girl.
8. Last Year’s FWB
Maybe you were too busy for a real relationship, or maybe you were just more interested in hooking up than dating, but last year, it was totally great to have FWB situation. Now, you’re looking to settle down, and you find yourself missing last year’s girl. Maybe feelings complicated things last year, but it’s time to talk about it! Put your pride aside and ask her if she’s interested in starting over.
9. The Girl From Home
LDRs are hard, but when you go home for vacations, it’s nice to have someone you can hang out with (especially if a lot of your high school friends have fallen by the wayside). You had a good thing going before you had to end it and leave for school, so shoot her a message and catch up. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be worth the trouble.
Finding other ladies to date around campus can seem impossible, especially when you think you’ve met them all and the LGBTQ+ community is smaller than you’d like. If you look around, though, you’ll notice all the great girls and see the awesome relationship potential that you may have missed when you first met them. Don’t limit yourself, and definitely don’t be afraid to go out on a limb – you might just find your perfect match!