How to Survive NIGHTS OUT

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At the bar, it's clear they are a couple and you are the Tagalong—but without the saving grace of the delicious peanut butter filling. Even if you've been able to successfully prevent them from holding hands, wrapping their arms around each other, or any of the usual giveaways, it can still be pretty obvious. Number one, they occasionally forget to pretend you're just as interesting as their Significant Other (you're way past believing you actually are). Two, while they share one tab for drinks for the night, you keep dropping cash on the bar (Tip: try not to order your drinks with them to avoid the confusion and embarrassment of correcting the bartender that you need your own check). And three, it's more than a little apparent that they don't give a speckled leopard's ass how they look (note The BF's faded, wide jeans with flannel shirt and The GF's mom jeans with plain-Jane t-shirt) and are content to be in their own little world standing on the sticky floor. Meanwhile, you keep tossing your hair around and making what you hope are flirty glances, but could very possibly be scary come-hither glares, at every passing guy.

So how do you meet people, or tell that cute guy over there that no, this dude will not be buying your drinks for the night? I'm not going to pretend I'm a dating expert. I'll leave the "finding love" advice to others who seem to have mastered the game, or at least have tips that seem somewhat reasonable (Click here to read how playing tag with a man can land you a boyfriend). But I can tell you this:

• Easy on the hair tossing; I can only imagine how attractive it is to spaz in the middle of the bar because you've pulled a muscle in your neck. 
• Try to remember all that happy, fluffy crap that says being content with yourself is the most important thing in life. And then pretend to believe it by plastering on a nice, big smile for the night.
• If you silently curse the couple's happy existence over and over in your head, that cute, smart, funny, sweet guy in the corner will eventually recognize what a wonderful person you are on his own. (This has personally never worked for me, but you should definitely give it a whirl.)