College is a time full of excitement and adventure. From experiencing your first college party to spontaneous road trips with your friends, you will unknowingly be living the greatest days of your life. So fittingly, going on dates in college should follow suit. Driving to fancy Lady and the Tramp-inspired dinners downtown (with noodle-to-lip action of course), singing at the top of your lungs at a sold-out concert and traveling on luxurious weekend getaways are on every college kids’ dream-date bucket list. But why aren’t these typical college dates? I’ll give you the one and only reason — extravagant dates are hard to come by when you only have $5.62 in your checking account.
Having a little extra cash in college is an exciting luxury and is normally spent splurging on name-brand potato chips at the grocery store. But don’t worry! If you’re looking for something fun and original to do with that special someone that won’t cost you this month’s rent, I have the perfect recommendations for you. Keep reading for some creative and cheap date ideas for college students.
1. Cook together No worries if the dinner consists of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese; making dinner together is a great date for you and your special someone. Throw in some candles, and you’re golden. Anything eaten by candlelight instantly becomes 10 times more romantic.
2. Stargaze It’s time to pull a Noah and Allie, except I advise not to lie down in the middle of the street like in The Notebook because, like, cars. Stargazing has the high cost of $0, and although the stars may be sparkling, nothing shines brighter than the stars in that special someone’s eyes after such a romantic evening spent together.
3. Game night This is a personal favorite for my boyfriend and I. Not only does it call to our inner child, but it also gets pretty intense because of our extreme competiveness. Make it more interesting by adding a rule that the loser has to do anything the winner wants. I guarantee your significant other will play Connect Four like his or her life depends on it. Trouble, Yahtzee and Sorry! are all great options too. Grab a dice, and (let the good times) roll.
4. Movie night It seems like a pretty basic and overused concept, but not if you take it to the next level. Transform your living room into a home theatre, minus the overpriced popcorn. Grab some candy from the dollar store, and pop some Orville Redenbacher in the microwave to make this date complete. If you really want to go above and beyond, make it a marathon. Make sure each movie is a different genre, so that you can watch The Little Mermaid and he can watch Transformers.
5. Go on a picnic Bring out the picnic basket, finger foods and lemonade. A picnic is a fun and relatively inexpensive date idea that every girl is sure to enjoy! Just remember to bring the bug spray!
6. Trip to the park This is a fan favorite because who doesn’t love swings? And again, it’s free! My only advice is to go at a time when the playground isn’t infested with little munchkins—screaming children tends to put a damper on the romance.
7. Fondue night Bring The Melting Pot to you (with a fraction of the cost!) by melting chocolate or other savory dipping sauces at home. My personal favorite is melting Ghirardelli chocolate chips with Rice Krispies Treats, strawberries and pound cake. Don’t have a fondue machine? Don’t fret. You can melt chocolate on the stovetop or even heat it up in the microwave.
8. Get active Whether you want to go on a run together or shoot some hoops at the local basketball court, being active together is a great, cost-effective way to spend your days. You could also combine a nature hike with a picnic (see No. 5!) for a longer date.
9. Breakfast in bed I love waffles. Other people love waffles. That is all.
10. Watch the sunset together It’s sappy and cliché but extremely romantic. Grab a blanket, get a good view of the horizon, and you’re guaranteed a great evening for just you two.
Hopefully these date ideas keep you, your significant other and, most importantly, your wallet happy. Now go have some great dates, collegiettes ™!