Fun younger areas in Providence include Federal Hill and Fox Point. College Hill and Wayland Square will be a bit pricier, but I don't know what your budget is. Outside Providence, try Edgewood in Cranston, which is right at the border and has a young vibe -- you'll be 10 minutes from downtown.

For bars, keep in mind I'm old, but the bar at the Dean Hotel is very cool from my perspective, as are the Avery and the Eddy. And don't forget Free Play, a huge barcade with dancing upstairs -- that might be a great way to meet people!

Restaurants, I love Den Den Korean Fried Chicken and all the Plant City restaurants. Durk's Barbecue is legit. Those just came to mind immediately, but of course Providence is a great restaurant town and there are endless options.

I know a lot of people use Meetup for meeting new people.