Ridin' solo

In high school, I had a goal to slow dance with one boy at every school dance. Given my paralyzing shyness toward members of the opposite sex, this was harder than it sounds.

Anyway, I always targeted a guy who was standing alone -- chiefly because I didn't want somebody who'd reject me in front of a group of friends.

That wasn't the best strategy.

There's a reason why certain people end up standing alone.

I'd wind up dancing with someone who had a body odor problem, or an affinity for talking about cartoons.

I remembered the scenario after reading a Glamour blog post, which asks if guys who go to bars alone are cute or creepy.

It's not a gender-specific issue. There's still some stigma surrounding a decision to hit a hot spot alone. Even if you look normal, people assume you must have done something to warrant an absence of friends.

Then again, it still seems easier to approach a solo partier than somebody surrounded by friends. The worst case scenario is much more pleasant: being rejected by one person, instead of a crowd.

Weigh in: Would you approach a partier sitting alone in a bar?