Honestly, I think as long as you view yourself as an 'average girl' that's how people are going to perceive you. There are things about you that nobody else has...think about those and walk with your head held high! You probably come off as insecure and that may be a big part of your problem. If you don't believe that you are special, guys aren't going to either. I think you should take some time to focus on yourself and the things that make you unique...and whoever told you that you might have to wait until "guys in your age group lower their standards" is an ass. seriously.

Yeah, I was wondering, who are you listening to? Forget about your ex boyfriend, and I hope your friends aren't the ones advising you to seek out guys with low standards!

I think you just need confidence, patience, the right place and the right time. Do you participate in any activities that allow you to meet a lot of new people? You're allowed to do the approaching, too.

Yikes, talk about major self esteem issues. You need to love yourself before anyone else can love you. As long as you call yourself names, bash your looks and tell yourself you won't be enough for any man, no one is going to ask you out.

Get some self help books or magazines to deal with your insecurities. You might also want to get into talk therapy.

Who the heck are you listening to!? You should ignore anyone who has told you that you need to wait for a guy to "settle" for you. That is just crap. You are 27 (young! Just getting started on life!), smart (yes, guys like smart girls), and you sound very nice (sweet is always a good thing too). I already know you have a lot going for you and I haven't even met you! Also, I highly doubt you are "average looking". Everyone is really beautiful in some way. You've got to be seriously seriously ugly and/or a mean person in order to be a truly unattractive person. Focus on the good things about yourself. Do you have great hair? Nice eyes? A good smile? Think about those things and be proud of them. I guarantee that with a little attitude adjustment, you will start to feel better about yourself.

Beauty is not a competition. It is in all of us and all around us.

Look around you girl! There are thousands of happy couples that are NOT Barbie-Dolls mated to Football-QuarterBacks!!!

You do NOT have to be a runway model to attract a guy! Instead, what you need to do is project happiness with yourself! The key to getting guys to approach you, is not the perfection of your makeup or the shortness of your skirt; but the rosyness of your SMILE. You need to look like a FUN person to be with; someone who enjoys life.

So, once you reach a state of being happy, you need to either make yourself visible to the type of guys you want to find you (if you subscribe to the old-fashioned notions); or take matters in your own hands, like an aggressive young (lady?) of our generation; and go shopping!

What kind of guy do you want? Then go to where that type of guy hangs out and PARTICIPATE in the activities (you can’t sit on the sidelines and be a drab wallflower!).
If you want a jock; you need to go workout and get sweaty.
If you want a religious fanatic; then try the church singles events.
If you want a party-boy; try the nightclubs.
If you want another book-nerd; hang out in study-hall? How about studying at the coffee shop, or out by the pool? (Any place more visible than your room!)
Or try an online dating site like e-Harmony where you can find a match based upon a broader range of common interests?
Just don’t waste your time with a sexually oriented site; unless a series of one-nighters is all you want.

Firm up your self-confidence; and go find him!