Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, which means stores are filled with oversized teddy bears, heart-shaped candies and shiny pink balloons. It also means a serious hurting on your wallet if you’re a broke college student, like many of us. Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year that is set aside for you to show your significant other how much you love them by showering them with heart-felt gifts, a romantic dinner, or fancy chocolate, but sometimes this can get a little pricy for the average college student. Thankfully, love doesn’t have a price tag and you can still have a great Valentine’s Day without spending the big bucks. Here is a list of five Valentine’s Day dates that won’t break the bank:
1. A romantic night in.
Buying groceries and cooking with your boyfriend or girlfriend is always a good bonding experience. Not to mention, store bought groceries are only a fraction of the price of going out to a fancy dinner. You could also rent a Redbox movie for less than two dollars, and have the perfect dinner and a movie date night. Add a bottle of wine for extra points!
2. Star-gazing.
Why not take advantage of the beautiful place we live in and go star-gazing out on the parkway? I know it may be a little chilly for this, but embrace the Boone weather and bundle up with blankets and hot chocolate to enjoy beautiful scenery that the Blue Ridge Parkway has to offer. Beacon Heights is the perfect open place to go, and it is easy to get to.
3. A stroll down King Street.
King Street is full of quaint shops and boutiques to explore with your significant other. Going in all the art galleries and window-shopping can be a fun date for anyone who hasn’t explored the local arts and crafts that is hidden in downtown Boone. King Street is one of those places that every student should explore before graduation, so why not do it with the person you love!
4. Humane Society.
If you both love animals, the Watauga Humane Society would be a fun date to bond over cute puppies and kittens. They let any volunteers come in to play with the animals for free. You can walk the dogs and play with the cats for as long as you want. And who knows, you might even fall in love all over again and come home with a new pet.
5. An activity on campus.
There are plenty of activities on campus that are inexpensive and interesting. For those who love music, the Hayes School of Music is having a Valentine’s themed concert that is free to all students on February 13th from 8:00-9:30 pm. There are also two movies that will be showing that weekend for $1.00. “Thoroughly Modern Millie” is playing in the Greenbriar Vintage Theater and “Big Hero 6” is playing in Greer. These prices definitely beat the $10.50 movie prices at the local theater.