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Have you ever met someone, shared a great conversation, and then failed to get that person's contact information before leaving? This is more common than you might think, to the point that there are entire websites dedicated to helping people locate these lost connections. If you're trying to find someone who you've met just once, there are a number of steps you can take to try and locate him or her.
Steps
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Enter the person's name on an internet search engine. This is the most basic method of searching for someone online. Most people have some kind of online presence, whether through work, school, or social media. If you know the person’s first and last name, you can try searching on a search engine. [1] X Research source
- Also type in any information you may have gathered during your conversation with this person. Did he or she mention what school they attend? Where they work? Organizations they're members of? Type these into the search engine along with the person's name to increase your chances of finding the person.
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Search for the person on social media. Social media is incredibly popular, and there is a good chance the person you're looking for has an account on one or more of the major social media sites. These accounts might show up during an internet search, but if you don't have any luck there, try searching on the social media sites themselves. [2] X Research source
- Try the major social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Search the missed connections section on Craigslist . Craigslist has a section under its "Personals" section called "Missed Connections" designed for people to find others. Here, you can place an ad looking for the person you met. Also, you can search and see if that person if looking for you.
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Use websites dedicated to finding someone. There are websites designed to help people find each other. These work like the personal ads on Craigslist: users post a message and visitors can view these messages. You can also search the websites and see if the person you're looking for is looking for you too. [3] X Research source
- You should search and post messages on several different sites to increase your chances of success.
- The most popular of these websites are isawyou.com and blewmychance.com .
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Renew your search regularly. Due to the speed of online data compilation, your site posts will get buried relatively quickly, so you may want to occasionally make new ones. Additionally, people make new social networking connections all the time, so just because the person doesn't have any mutual friends to help narrow the search yet, it doesn't mean he or she never will. Try not to get discouraged and renew your search from time to time. [4] X Research source
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Return to the scene where you met. If you met in a particular restaurant, park, or coffee shop, or public transportation, there is a chance the person you're looking for visits there regularly. Make this location a part of your usual schedule, and you might have a chance of running into him or her again.
- Try to visit the location around the same time you first met. If this is part of the person's normal routine, then he or she probably visits about the same time.
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Speak to the staff at the location you met the person. If the person if a regular at this particular location, it's possible that the staff might know who they are. Ask around and see if anyone there knows the person you met. If one of them does, then ask if you can get the person's contact information. Some people might not be willing to hand out contact information, however, so in this case just ask if the worker could pass your contact information on to the person you're looking for.
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Try posting in local newspapers with a description of your meeting. Daily and weekly newspapers in a city often have sections for personal ads where people can post exactly this kind of information. If the person you want to find sees the ad, then he or she will have an easy way to contact you. [5] X Research source
- Like with posting ads on the internet, try to post in as many newspapers as possible. You don't know which newspapers he or she reads regularly, so posting several ads will increase your chances.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionI saw a girl at Disneyland multiple times, but never got the chance to say hi. I remember what she wore and looked like, but don't have anything else. Any help?Tom De BackerTop AnswererUntil you meet her again by chance, you had best forget about her. Of course there are ways to find her. As in getting a robot photo made, printing it in newspapers, or hiring a private detective. But those methods are expensive, and most of all: stalkerish. The lesson here is: as soon as you see someone you think is nice, just say hi. Introduce yourself: 'Hi, my name is Tom, what's your name?' and then take it from there. Promise yourself that as soon as you meet someone you simply can't live without, you'll definitely go up to her, no matter how scared or nervous you are.
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QuestionI met a girl in the train today. How can I find her?Community AnswerThat could be tricky. You could try riding the train at the same time the next day. Perhaps she's a regular.
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QuestionHow do I deal with losing someone I've only met once?Community AnswerI completely understand what you're going through: sadness, disappointment and a little bit of hope that you guys will somehow meet again. And when you think about him/her you get excited but disappointed again. Try to stop being sad. You will find that excitement with someone else soon, and there won't be any disappointment. Remember: there is more than one person out there for everyone.
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Warnings
- If you suspect based on your initial meeting with the person that he or she isn’t interested in seeing you again, then you’re better off abandoning your search. If your desire to find the person is not reciprocated, then any advances you make could be unwelcome.Thanks
- If you succeed but the person is uncomfortable that you took steps to locate him or her, then you should respect any wishes to discontinue contact.Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://lifehacker.com/329033/how-to-track-down-anyone-online
- ↑ http://lifehacker.com/329033/how-to-track-down-anyone-online
- ↑ http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000899.htm
- ↑ http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000899.htm
- ↑ http://odnp.uoregon.edu/2011/09/09/searching-for-love-in-all-the-right-pages-personal-ads-in-historic-oregon-newspapers/
About This Article
Article Summary
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To find someone you met only once but want to connect with again, try searching their name on major social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. If you know which school they went to or which city they live in, narrow your search using these criteria. You can also place an ad on the missed connections section of Craigslist in case they’re looking to reconnect with you too. If you met in a public place like a park, library, or a coffee shop, return to the spot during different times of the week, since you might bump into them again. You can also ask the staff at the location if they know who the person is or if they usually come by at a certain time or on a certain day. For more tips, including how to post an ad in a local newspaper to find someone you met, read on!
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