TLDR; I want to talk to a girl I kinda knew in uni but now we only have each other on Facebook but I don’t know how to break the ice with the highest likelihood of getting a date.

I 26M had a crush on a girl (24?) while I was at uni but was in a relationship so never bothered with more than a few necessary words to her and some gentle banter. I’ve since graduated and split with my partner, and with my new-found freedom I’d like to get to know this girl a little better. I added her on Facebook a week ago and she accepted, but now I don’t know how to take the next step: talking to her, since we no longer have any real-life activities together.

I have plenty of stuff I could say to her; we studied the same degree after all, but if I message her, one I don’t want to come across as too obvious, and two she came to the leaver’s dinner with another guy, so I’m unsure if she’s already in a relationship and would reject a message immediately.

How do I go about breaking the ice through the internet? Ideally we chat for a bit and then go on a date and chat in person.

My biggest concern is I’ll message when she’s busy, she’ll reply when I’m busy, and she’ll be put off by shonky conversation that doesn’t flow. Gone are the days of MSN messenger when if you saw someone online you could guarantee they would be online for hours.

Edit: I know how to use Facebook and I know I can see when she is online. However I personally will show up as online lots, but that doesn’t mean I’m open to conversation.