Adults In Their 30s Adjust To Today's Dating Scene

Jon Proctor is a banker in his early 30s. He says, being single at his age gives him more options.

"My financial situation is much better than at 25," Proctor says. "I have access to go to Miami for the weekend or to a golf tournament, tennis, a lot of activities to meet people."

Workout gyms and bookstores are some of the meeting places for the thirty-something crowd. However, one of the oldest places to meet someone is no longer one of the most popular. While it may have worked 10 years ago, people in their 30s say the bar scene is anything but the answer.

Lisa Ginter says, unlike her mindset 10 years ago, she does not expect to find her Mr. Right in a bar.

"I'm just looking for a guy with a good sense of humor," Ginter says. "Now that I'm a little older, a little more work-focused, I know what direction my life is taking, and I know more of what I want."

With the type of confidence that only comes with experience, more thirty-something people are turning to the personals, the Internet, and professional dating services to look for exactly what they want in a love interest.

Christine Carlile runs a Triangle dating service. She says most single mature adults are looking for long-term, meaningful relationships.

"The people in their 30s have their business on track," Carlile says. "They're getting married later because they know to have X amount of dollars, to have that white picket fence, to have the 2.3 children and to have two cars."

Meeting Mr. or Ms. Right at the right time is an ageless challenge. A survey by a number of professional dating services suggest successful relationships are based on compatibility, not chemistry, regardless of age.