Being a college student in this day and age is expensive. Being a college student in a romantic relationship nowadays, with February 14th approaching so quickly after Christmas? It can be overwhelming. Valentine’s Day can still be special, though, regardless of how much money you’re able to spend.
1. Movie night
Nothing says “romantic evening” quite like seeing a movie. Depending on your budget, you could either go out to an actual theater (with snacks of your choice, of course) or you could kick back and explore your favorite streaming service instead. My personal favorite movies for these occasions are the ones that are laughably bad. It completely takes away the strict pressure to pay attention, and instead allows for you to laugh and talk together throughout.
2. Game Night
This night also has a few different options that you could choose from. There are video games, board games, and card games that could all make for an amazingly fun night. Especially with games that are a bit more relaxed, you and your partner could have the fun and competitive energy of the game while also allowing the conversation to naturally go into other topics as well. Most relaxed games are fairly inexpensive, and if you’re playing one that you already own, then there’s no need to spend at all!
3. Question Games
Is this technically also a game? Yes. But, because it’s so different than the types of games in #2, I felt that question games deserved their own description. In the game sections of store, there are plenty of different options for these types of games. They’re all focused around getting to know your partner better, with questions like “What was your first impression of me?”, or “What’s something about yourself that you’ve never told anyone?”. The questions are always things that, being in a relationship, you’ve wondered, but it’s a natural way to be able to ask your partner and bond with them. These games contain a ton of questions, so they usually cost around $20.
4. Clay Painting
As a college student who is definitely on a budget, this is exactly what me and my partner will be doing this Valentine’s Day. Air-dry clay is fairly cheap, usually costing between $5 and $10 depending on how big of a tub you’re wanting to buy. Small bottles of paint aren’t generally too expensive, either. Painting the little clay sculptures that you and your partner make is not only super fun, but it also lets you keep a little memento from the holiday! The entire process of the craft is entertaining, and if you’re anything like me or my partner, then seeing the funny-looking end results only adds to the enjoyment of the night.
5. Thrifting
Thrifting on any day of the year is fun, but to be able to go with your partner makes it so much better. You get to pull the classic “This would look so good on you!” as you grab the most heinous-looking shirt you’ve ever laid eyes on. To make it a little bit more special, though, you and your partner could split up to pick outfits for each other. This could go one of two ways; they’re either determined to find you something that you would love and feel good in, or they would retreat to the rack with that heinous-looking shirt. Either way, you and your partner will have an amazingly fun day without going too far over your spending limit.
Blanket-making
This last date idea may be the priciest of them all, depending on what type of blankets you and your partner want to make, but for a college student on a budget, it’s still a great option. Fabric is easy to come by in your local craft store, or even certain department stores. Unfortunately, I can’t provide a whole step-by-step tutorial, but I can give the general overview of how to make a tie blanket. Basically, you and your partner pick two pieces of fabric at the store that go well together, then buy 1 square yard of each. After cutting out the corners of each, you lay the pieces of fabric on top of each other, cut 1-inch think segments along the borders, then tie them together. It’s a fun, relaxing process with an even better payoff, because, like the clay painting, there’s a physical memory of the day when you’re done!