If you're single in Columbia, Aubrey K. Jenkins is one person who can offer insightful commentary on the city's dating scene.

Jenkins, who graduated from the Honors College in 1999 with a degree in journalism and mass communications, writes the weekly column “Single in the City” for Columbiatunes.com, a Web site developed by The State newspaper that highlights music, fashion, and relationships. “Single in the City,” which launched appropriately on Valentine's Day 2005, is one of the most widely read online columns in South Carolina.

“Columbiatunes.com is The State paper reaching out to a younger audience with new media,” said Jenkins, who does technical writing and marketing for Unitrends, a Columbia business continuity company.

“Single in the City is half-blog, half-column and 180 degrees from what I do by day. It's been a blast,” said Jenkins, who gets her ideas from “basically anywhere and everywhere”—people at work who talk about their dates from the weekend, women in her book club, books she reads, and everyday life. “I think every writer is always alert for a good story.”

This past summer, the column followed Jenkins' 12-day, 4,200-mile trip with friend Avril Lail to Yellowstone National Park in a truck with a pop-up camper. The truck broke down, and problems popped up with the camper's top, but the mountain scenery and the people who helped when things went south as they headed west made the adventure worthwhile.

“It was something I'd wanted to do ever since college,” Jenkins said. “I never really had a spring break because I worked all during school. Now I'm determined to make up for lost time.”