When you spend seven hours a day in Swem battling through 18 credits worth of reading and work, it can be hard to schedule in some good old-fashioned romance. HerCampus has got you covered though, with some tips for handling a lovey-dovey holiday that this year falls on a Tuesday!
1. Work ahead. I’m sure that most of us have figured this out already, but in case you’re panicking over a busy Tuesday night, remember your long cultivated TWAMP skill of working through your weekend mornings and afternoons to get ahead for a fun weekday event.
2. Prepare ahead of time. If you want to cook a nice meal, try to get your shopping done over the weekend and prepare as many of the ingredients ahead of time as possible. Things like trimming fat and chopping greens can be done in advance and save you the trouble on the weeknight. Do as much as you can this weekend to avoid the midweek rush.
3. Reschedule to the weekend. Pretty easy to do, just agree to celebrate Valentine’s Day to a day that is less hectic. Make sure if you decide to hit a nice restaurant that you find out if you need reservations, get them if you can, and have a few back up ideas just in case.
4. Have your date at an unconventional time. Now this might make it difficult for anyone who was really set on a nice restaurant dinner, but it still works. Have your date early in the morning or late at night. Sneak into your dorm’s lounge in the wee hours and have a movie night or romantic dinner/midnight snack. Take out is your friend here. This can help you fit your date into your schedule and has the added bonus of a little more privacy—a scarce commodity in overcrowded Olive Gardens and the like.
5. Have a series of mini-dates. If you and your date can’t get together for a nice but admittedly long romantic date, have a series of short romantic dates throughout the week. Do one a day or a few spread out through the week. Of course, since these are short, it presents the challenge of being distinct from your usual hang out time. Make sure these dates aren’t your usual down time together and actual lovey-dovey affairs. Take a usual date idea and compress it for time and then add fanciness or a valentine’s theme. For example, get dressed up and grab food at a drive thru instead of a fancy sit down restaurant. Go to a restaurant in town like Blue Talon and instead of a whole meal, just get appetizers. Instead of a full-fledged movie night, try watching romantic short films (many of which are available for free online) such as Validation. Just google “romantic short film.” On Valentine’s day itself, just exchange your gifts and eat some heart shaped cookies.