Hitting on people outside of web-related media

So, I feel like a stupid blonde posting this, but...there's this cute boy on my univ. I definitely know he is gay, poked him a few times on fb and he reciprocated.And, from here on, I'm dead in the water.I don't get how people find each other in a "public" setting, provided this is not some ultra-tolerant part of the world (mine isn't). And yet, people do.Stories/advice?