New York’s Gen Z singles look for love on the subway

2024-08-26
Posted by PSEDEN

Dating in New York can be a disaster.

Just ask Anastasia Gregory, who has been on a thwarted, fruitless search for Mr Right since the pandemic. Scouring dating apps and showing up at various hot spots in the Big Apple have been fruitless for the elementary school teacher.

It wasn’t until the 27-year-old explored underground that she found her true love.

“I met my fiancé on the subway,” Gregory, who grew up in Westchester, told The Washington Post about her encounter with fiancé Spencer Sieber during her morning commute.

The couple, who now live on the Upper East Side, first met in March 2022 on the A train uptown.

Now, they will say “I do” on November 2 in a “big fat Greek wedding” style.

“At the time, I was hoping to meet a woman I could marry,” said Mr. Seebo, a 27-year-old financial executive from Kansas. “Then, one day, she showed up on the subway.”

Aside from the rats, cockroaches and hazards that have long been a maligned system, railroads are, in fact, a hotbed of romance.

Thomas Knox, host of the show Waiting for a Date, transformed the platform into a mini hangout, providing a welcoming space for singles to socialize before a busy commute.

Newlyweds Daniel Jean and Esme Valdez of Flatbush chose the L train as the backdrop for their late June wedding reception.

The underground party included fine canapés, champagne and wedding cake for the bride and groom.

For mobile-addicted Gen Zers like Gregory and her boyfriend, meeting their life partner by chance while completing daily tasks, such as commuting to get off work, is more popular than online dating.

In fact, according to a June report, 92% of men and 88% of women aged 18 to 27 would prefer to meet a potential partner in person rather than online.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is also happy to serve as this “encounter” agency.

“With nearly 4 million people riding the subway every day, it’s a great place to meet new people,” MTA spokeswoman Kayla Shults told The Washington Post.

“Public transportation is not only the fastest way to get around the city,” she added, “but the love of your life could be hopping on the bus at the next stop.”

Cornell Barrett, a dating coach in New York City, agrees.

“The subways are not just about rats and robbers,” said Barrett, who has been nicknamed “The Real-Life Alfred Hitchcock.”

“It can be a tunnel of love.”

But the expert encouraged passengers to heed his top three travel tips while on the road.

First, be aware of the other person’s personal space, compliment non-material attributes — maybe perfume or clothing — and most importantly, be aware of the room.

“If you’re on the subway at a friendly distance, paying someone a compliment and they respond with a one-word response or avoid your gaze, you should understand their social signals, politely step away, and move on,” Barrett said.

Fortunately for Gregory, Sibo’s social cues led her to take the initiative.

“I was rushing to catch my train and I saw this cute finance guy in a suit,” she told The Washington Post with a laugh.

“We kept making eye contact, and I was like, ‘Should I say something? If he doesn’t, then I will.'”

Gregory’s first attempt at flirting was when he switched seats on the train to sit next to Sibo and handed him his phone, silently asking for his contact information.

“She texted me later that day, and we went on our first date a few days later and got engaged on November 18, 2023,” Seabaugh said.

“It’s interesting to contrast this beautiful love story with the darkness of the subway – a lot of things could have changed the ending,” he muses.

“And yet, here we are, and we’re getting married.”

But the soon-to-be-weds weren’t the only beauties Cupid encountered beneath the concrete.

“My husband, Gary, and I met 12 years ago on the N train from 42nd Street to Ditmas,” Allie Vider, 35, a stay-at-home mom of two, told The Washington Post.

The metro couple, who now live in northern New Jersey, tied the knot in September 2015.

“And, coincidentally,” she gushed, “my grandparents met on the N train and were married for 66 years.”

Stand-up comedian Gary, 41, who often incorporates his and Ally’s celebrity meetings into his acts, joked that he would be a free man if he hadn’t said “God bless you” to the cute girl who sneezed on the train.

But the lighthearted banter didn’t faze his cheerful-looking bride.

“I loved it,” she said of Gary’s wisecracks. “His whole performance really broke my heart. And a lot of it was so accurate.”

“He’s my soul mate,” she added. “Just think, if we had been in different carriages, or if either of us had been five minutes late, we would have been late today.

“It’s a cool way to meet people.”