By Sally Schedel
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Whether you love it or hate it, February 14th is the day to show affection for a significant other. Whether you’re struggling to find the perfect date idea or deciding how to ask someone out, you’ve come to the right place. Although relationships aren’t necessary to enjoy Valentine’s Day, couples from around campus have provided budget-friendly ideas for dates and tips for asking out a special someone for the holiday!
Asking someone out or just trying to talk to them one-on-one can be a challenge or even scary. Senior Rana Willink suggests doing “something with a group of people like going to the beach.” This gives you an opportunity to get to talk to them and see if they would ever want to hang out with you alone. Willink also says you want to make sure “you let them know you are into them. They want to see where things could go between you guys.”
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Struggling to find or afford a date for Valentine’s Day? Pointers have suggestions that will make you AND your wallet happy. Seniors Rana Willink and Gabi Barbosa both suggest having a picnic at Sunset Cliffs. “All you need is a blanket and maybe some snacks,” says Willink. Picnics are an amazing way to get to know more about your date. If you’re looking for something even more casual, Barbosa suggests “walking your dogs together.” This is a super simple and fun way of getting to know your date as well as taking care of a pesky chore. Senior Katelyn Hicks says “good dates don’t always mean that they are expensive. Sometimes the best dates are the ones on a budget.” Hicks recommends going on a hike, claiming it is a “fun activity and can be done in a wide range of places.” Have no homework on a Tuesday night? Willink suggests going to AMC movie theaters around San Diego. On Tuesdays, AMC sells $5 dollar tickets! This is a perfect and affordable date.
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Couples also spoke of their ideal first dates. Seniors Emma Rhoades and Cormac McCarthy said their best first date would be “going to a drive-in movie.” As Rana Willink says, “It’s most important to get to know the person on your first date [and] truly understand what type of person they are.” For ideal first dates, Willink suggests bringing the person to Sunset Cliffs around sunset then just “grab burritos and talk,” or “show them around” your favorite place or restaurant.
Finally, if you like to bundle up and stay at home, Pointers suggested the best shows and movies to watch on a cozy night in. Willink suggests “finding a common show that you guys both enjoy watching, but be open to trying out different genres.” Some of her favorites she suggested were The Office and Parks and Recreation. Cormac and Emma suggested two of their favorite movies as well, Dunkirk and Scream. Lastly, Katelyn Hicks recommends classic movies like Star Wars or Indiana Jones.
However you spend it, have a fantastic Valentine’s Day!