Meeting New People By Stacy Rosenberg Washingtonpost.com Staff

Try Volunteering
One way to get out, enjoy the city and contribute to your neighborhood is to volunteer. Groups like Hands on DC and Single Volunteers of DC combine service projects with happy hours to make volunteering a fun and group-minded effort. The Social Circle of Greater DC Cares, for example, sponsored an evening of "Beers and BBQ" at Lulu's after its annual Servathon. Those organizations do not require long-term commitments, so try one activity and see if that group is right for you. If you're willing to put more time and energy into a volunteer project, consider signing on as an after-school tutor for D.C. public school students. Programs like Project Northstar require yearlong commitments, while Big Brothers Big Sisters of America calls for lifelong service pledges. In addition to doing a good deed and helping out a less-fortunate child, you are bound to meet other like-minded people.

Get Your Groove On
If volunteering requires too much time or you're just not hip to meeting people while focusing on other projects, you can go the traditional route and meet people while you're out partying. If you're in town on your own, there are a few groups that focus on matching up local singles. The DC Society of Young Professionals promotes weekly events and encourages people to attend by themselves. The society's progressive parties ensure that you will meet at least 12 new people in one hour. Opt for more casual, attend a Party DC event or sample some wine at a TasteDC festival.

Team Up
For the more active Washingtonian, there are clubs and leagues that will help you keep in shape and make some new friends in the process. Learning Escapes organizes hiking, rafting and sailing trips for sporty locals with matchmaking in mind. Co-ed volleyball, soccer, softball and even kickball teams are always looking to expand their rosters. Some leagues even specialize in employment, drawing Hill staffers, media employees, lawyers, etc., as their teammates. There is no central organizer of such teams; but ask your co-workers, stop in at a nearby gym or contact your local parks and recreation association for more information.

Go Undercover
Most people would prefer to just go about their regular routine and happen to meet the woman or man of their dreams along the way. While it probably helps to exert a little effort, there are a few casual spots where it is still acceptable to strike up a conversation with an attractive stranger. Take a little extra time to peruse the bestseller table at a local bookstore like Kramerbooks or Politics & Prose. Or compare shopping lists with the person in line behind you at the grocery store. The Fresh Fields in Arlington and the Safeway north of Georgetown are well-known social shops. Coffee and tea houses are prime meeting places; try your luck at popular spots like Teaism, Xando and Tryst.

Cultural Conquests
If you'd like to combine your friendships with your interest in the arts, there are a number of inexpensive options in the D.C. area. The Smithsonian seems an obvious (and free) place to start, but it can be difficult to pick out the locals from the tourists. The Young Benefactors of the Smithsonian organizes regular educational and social outings for its members, and a number of downtown galleries participate in Third Thursday walking tours. The Phillips Collection and Corcoran Gallery of Art sponsor similar membership programs. If art is not your thing, maybe music is the place to start looking for that special someone. In the summer, the Kennedy Center promotes free concerts every night at 6, no tickets required. If you're more interested in a particular band, catch a show at the 9:30 club, the Black Cat or Metro Cafe and hang out by the bar where you're more likely to meet other fans. Many people shy away from going to the movies by themselves, but Visions is helping to alleviate that problem. Hang out in the bistro before your show and maybe you'll hit it off with another indie-film buff.

Get Smart
If all else fails, it never hurts to go back to school. You never meet more people at once than when you're in school, so why not use higher education as an excuse to meet new people? The U.S. Department of Agriculture sponsors a graduate school with 1,500 different courses available each semester. Classes are generally under $300 and range from Beginning Portuguese to Advanced Calculus. If you're looking for a lighter homework load, how about a cooking class? The possibilities are endless with cuisine choices to please every palate.