Dating in college is freaking hard. There is a constant barrage of new candidates every time the semester changes and half of them still live with their parents because we are all broke (not a deal breaker, but a little awkward). The broke piece of it is the real kicker. Dating is expensive! You have you buy dinners or tickets to events or flowers and it all adds up fast. Here are a couple of tips for dating on a budget.
Cook Your Meal Instead of Buying It
I know, cooking is hard, but it does save a lot of money and is a good skill to have. I suggest just finding two or three recipes that are super appealing to you; this makes it easier to cook because your excited about what you are making. Then you can get really good at making a few things so when you’ve found someone to cook for, you can feel confident in your abilities. Pasta is always a good move and it’s pretty simple and cheap to make, I would start there. Plus, if you are learning to cook, you are always guaranteed to be the favorite roommate — just keep it clean.
Take Your Date Outside!
We live in amazing Utah, there is so much to do just minutes from downtown! There are hikes to go on, lakes to chill by, canyons to drive through. Go find a beautiful spot to take pictures of your boo — they’ll feel so cute and special and you’ll win points with them. Most of the canyons around Salt Lake are free to visit, so there is no cost to you and you might even get a little exercise from it. Bonus points if you bring your dog along — everybody loves a good pupper.
Use Your Student Status to Your Advantage!
There are plenty of activities, particularly around the University of Utah, that are discounted or completely free to students. The Natural History Museum and Red Butte Gardens are two places that you can visit as a student for no additional cost. The museum has many amazing permanent displays and frequently rotates certain exhibits, which means every visit is a new experience. Red Butte is a little more seasonal than the museum, but is just as fun. Full of amazing arrangements of exotic flowers plus a few little hiking trails scattered through the gardens, it’s the perfect place for a scenic walk. The Utah Museum of Fine Arts is also located on campus and is completely free to students. It’s full of amazing art and is definitely worth the walk through. Not only are these places free, they also provide the opportunity to really get to know the person you’re out with. These are just a few places students get in free, but you can find many lists of student discounts on the university’s website and restaurant discounts here.
Speaking of free stuff and student discounts, almost all University of Utah events are free. I’m not just talking about sporting events either: the U has an amazing community of creatives that often have showcases or concerts that are totally free or real cheap. The theater department puts on shows every month and they are absolutely spectacular. They just finished up a run of Macbeth and starting November 8th they are running The Odyssey. The school of dance also put up showcases a couple of times a year, particularly around finals. What better way to de-stress from finals than to go watch some beautiful dancing? Not only are these some fun dates, but you get to support other students who are pursuing their passion.
Being a student is stressful, constant exams and homework assignments pile up and dates are a great way to distract yourself from that stress — especially when those dates don’t have to break the bank. The one perk of being a student is that everyone realizes your broke, so you just have to take advantage of the discounts that are thrown your way. Hopefully these ideas provide some cheap fun the next time you’re wanting to go no a fun date!