Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and with it comes mixed emotions depending on your relationship status. For single people, chances are it’s a time where you find yourself either wishing you had someone to celebrate the holiday with or planning a girls night out for Galentine’s Day. If you and your significant other recently started seeing each other, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of planning the perfect romantic evening with all the works.
However, Valentine’s Day is a completely different situation if you’re in a long-term relationship. While it’s amazing to have someone so special to share the most romantic day of the year with, it tends to become a little less exciting after time. After all, you love each other year-round, so a stereotypical Valentine’s Day date starts to seem a little cliche and boring. Here are 5 ways to keep things interesting on February 14!
1. Cook Together
Don’t feel like battling crowds and long waits at restaurants on Valentine’s Day? Scout out a recipe or two that sounds tasty (and realistic enough to actually cook) and spend the evening cooking with your sweetheart. Pick up the groceries together, cook the meal together, and (most importantly!) complement one another’s cooking skills as you dine on a delicious, home-cooked meal.
2. Take Advantage of Campus Resources
Our campus has tons of resources available for students, many of which are free or offer i-Card discounts. Look around online for a fun activity the two of you can participate in together right here at the U of I to mix up your date night routine. Take a cooking class or go rock climbing at the ARC, see a show at the Krannert Center, visit the Krannert Art Museum or the Spurlock Museum, ice skate, attend a sporting event, or swim at the CRCE Aquatic Center just to name a few ideas!
3. Recreate a Date from the Past
Part of the reason long-term relationships are great is because of all the amazing dates you’ve been on together. If there’s a particularly special date that both of you really enjoyed, try recreating the magic this Valentine’s Day. The nostalgia will remind you of all the good times you’ve had together in the past.
4. Try Something New Together
If there’s something fun either one of you has been wanting to try, now is the perfect time to try it! Whether you’ve been holding back because you’re nervous to go out of your comfort zone or because it costs more money than you’d usually spend, let go of your reservations and go for it! This could be anything from trying a new type of cuisine to taking ballroom dancing lessons…really, it can be you haven’t done before but would like to try.
5. Go Restaurant Hopping
Try this interesting twist on eating out: instead of eating your entire meal at one restaurant, get each course (appetizer, entree, and dessert) at a different eaterie. This option is ideal in a place where you can easily walk from restaurant to restaurant, like Downtown Champaign or Green Street.