I’m sure many of us who have dated someone for more than a few months know that after a while you form a routine. It’s the same things a lot of the time; dinner and a movie, or going to a party. These are well and good, and can be fun, but they can get repetitive. I’m sure we’ve all seen the date bucket lists online, the ones you favorite on Twitter or VSCO, but never look at again. My boyfriend has made an obvious effort to make sure that our dates stay new and exciting. Here are some of our favorites:
Mini Golf/ Bowling
Many towns have these activities, including Olean, making it a great date option. No matter if you are good or bad, it’s always fun to have a little bit of healthy competition. Try putting a bet on it, loser buys dinner or winner gets to pick the next date. And if you are worried you won’t be good at them, don’t worry and just laugh it off.
Arcade
This one can cost a lot if you aren’t careful like we weren’t, so set a budget! It’s something we all loved as a kid; getting to go play games and get prizes, usually candy. There’s an arcade not too far from campus at the Olean Mall, it’s very small and a little dated, but still fun!
Festivals
This one might be my favorite. I always loved festivals, when the streets are shut down and covered in tents of people selling everything, from home goods to skin care to food. These are fun because as long as you change locations no two will be the same. Another big perk: Dogs, lots and lots of dogs, and nice owners that’ll let you pet them. Festivals are easy to find, usually you can just Google that town and one will pop up, or a Facebook search.
The Windmill
If you like festivals like me, you’ll probably love this place. It’s like a permanent market, open every Saturday. They have a farmer’s market section along with more random booths such as balk candy, home goods, and wineglasses painted with your dog’s face on them. This place is definitely worth the drive, about two hours since it is in the Finger Lakes region. This place is also very nice because there’s almost no service so it’s a good time to spend with just your partner, no distractions.
Zoos/Aquariums
Zoos and aquariums aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but who doesn’t like to see cute animals? There are actually quite a few zoos and aquariums close enough for a day trip from campus, my boyfriend and I went to the Pittsburgh zoo and back this semester. Zoos can get pricey so ask if they have a student discount just to make sure. Also, make sure you are going to a good accredited zoo, like Buffalo, Syracuse, Pittsburgh or Cleveland.
Hikes/ Cliff Jumping
A typically free and healthy option is to go on a hike. There are many places locally to do this, but pretty much everywhere has places to hike. Hikes with waterfalls are my favorite, especially waterfalls you can go near. If you are willing to drive, I recommend going to a state park, like Letchworth or Watkins Glen. Just recently my boyfriend convinced me to go cliff jumping at one of his favorite places. It was terrifying, but really was a great experience. Just make sure to go to a well-known spot that is definitely deep enough. Also, I recommend saving this one until summer, since it was freezing when I went.