After Chris Hill got his first glimpse of Tiger Stadium and walked through the Quad, he knew he wanted to live in Baton Rouge and study at the University. Baton Rouge has activities to do off campus which Hill, a kinesiology sophomore from Mississippi, said played a part in his decision. All the other schools he applied to didn’t have anything to do in the area, “but in Baton Rouge there’s always something to do,” Hill said. And like Hill, singles are taking note of the Red Stick’s entertainment options when finding a city to call home. Baton Rouge was listed in the top third of cities for relocating singles, according to the 2008 rank by Relocation industry group Worldwide and Primacy Relocation. Baton Rouge ranked 13th for singles to relocate in the list of the 100 largest U.S. metro areas. Baton Rouge ranked significantly lower in it’s 2007 rate for relocating singles — 64th place.Bert Sperling, BestPlaces president, said the reason Baton Rouge jumped significantly is because the city is returning to normalcy after Hurricane Katrina and recently experienced rapid growth.The two organizations partnered with BestPlaces to conduct the research for the fifth annual survey.Sperling said Baton Rouge presents a smaller metro atmosphere, which is good for singles. He also said one quality considered in the survey is the number of restaurants, concerts and recreation events available in the area. James Honeycutt, communication studies professor who specializes in relational attraction, said many of the large cities attracting singles have a university in the area. Singles from different cultures studying at the universities contribute to the arts and concerts in the area. Baton Rouge is building its entertainment industry, and “entertainment attracts singles,” he said. He said the downtown development including museums, new shopping areas like Perkins Rowe and dog parks are attractive to younger people. Historically, Baton Rouge has been considered an attractive city for families, but with developing areas of housing and entertainment, more singles may want to move to the area, he said. One of the most popular places for singles to socialize is at coffee shops, Honeycutt said, and there are plenty in Baton Rouge.Julia Brodsky, interior design junior, said she loves meeting her friends at coffee shops to hang out. “It’s a really relaxing setting for me,” she said. “Coffee shops produce a good environment for having meaningful conversations, but singles have a hard time being themselves in bars because some people are “on the prowl,” Honeycutt said. “I would much rather talk in a coffee shop than in a bar,” Brodsky said. Clarke Cadzow, owner of Highland Coffee for 19 years, said it’s not as big of a commitment to agree to meet at a coffee shop compared to a restaurant. If someone wants to meet in a public place to talk, there are not too many options, Cadzow said. When you meet someone at a coffee shop, there is a certain level of comfort, he said. “You don’t have to spend a lot of money,” he said. “Just a couple bucks for coffee.” Honeycutt also said it’s easier to control senses while drinking coffee than when consuming alcohol. Cadzow said bars are a fun atmosphere but not good for having conversations because the music is loud and the room is usually dark. In the 2008 ranking, Boston, Mass. was No. 1, Nassau, N.Y. No. 2, New Haven, Conn. No. 3, New York/White Plains/Wayne, N.Y/N.J No. 4 and Edison, N.J. at No. 5. —-Contact Joy Lukachick at [email protected]