dating after college?

[l0ner]

I know I already kind of made a thread on this topic, but this question is different.

I've come to a point where I think I feel semi-comfortable around girls, and if I were to meet a girl I liked and whatnot, I would feel comfortable flirting with her and probably wouldn't chicken out and intentionally sabatoge a chance at starting something up with her.

So I finally feel I'm at that state. But the thing is, I have month left of college. Just a few weeks left of living in a pre-constructed social environment of people my own age. I always wanted to have a highschool or college girlfriend...ya know, that kind of relationship...but now it's too late. What I want to know is, how does "dating" and relationships and meeting girls (or should I say 'women', sigh) differ out in the "real world" than when you're in school? Do relationships and meeting people tend to work differently in any way? Is it generally expected to be more serious? Do gir...women really tend to be more focused on looking for guys who are financially stable and have some kind of career ambition whereas in college they're just looking to have fun with a guy? Any differences in these respects?

I'm just worried that I missed out on an opportunity to have relationships that don't carry as many expectations as they do once you're out of school, and that it will be a lot harder to meet girls than it is in college. How much truth is there to any of this? Any insight?

[CaryGrant]

Well, I'm in my 40's, so may not be the best person to answer this, but here's my 2c (I assume you're in your mid-twenties):

* When I was 36, I dated a 26-yo woman who only wanted a fun relationship. Next, I dated a 26-yo woman who didn't know what she wanted, though we ultimately ended up married.

* If you want fun relationships without expectations of long-term, the online dating services are not the way to go. Most of the women there seem quite sincere in wanting a long-term relationship. This may not be the same in your age group, and lots of women say "friends first" or "dating," which opens the door to casual relationships.

* Bars, parties, and co-ed sports seem better options.

* I once read, and believe it to be true, that any woman who has a casual relationship with you at least wants to think that you could have long-term potential, even though she's not currently interested in pursuing that. Potential means a guy with some ambition and goals in life, something on-the-ball, not a total party animal.