There’s no need to always go out for a date night. In fact, staying in can be just as romantic — and it means you’ll spend much less, which is always important when you’re a student. If you’re unsure what to do, try these fun ideas for a special evening.
1. Prepare a Dinner
Put your cooking skills to the test by preparing a meal for your partner. Depending on your experience in the kitchen, this may be anything from the dish you like to prepare for yourself all the time or an elaborate three-course meal. Alternatively, you may like to create a meal together or each prepare a different course. All these options are equally romantic.
To make the night special, tell your roommates that you’ll need the kitchen at a certain time to ensure they won’t disturb you. Put some candles on the table, play some soothing background music, and, most importantly, make it a phone-free evening.
2. Plan an Indoor Picnic
Another possibility for a date night when you know you’ll both be hungry is a picnic. This idea is perfect for when the weather hasn’t been nice enough recently for you to have a real picnic outdoors. It’s also a great option if you know your roommates will need to use the kitchen and you want to be alone, as you can have the picnic in your bedroom.
The key to success with this kind of date is the aesthetics. You’ll need a blanket you can spread across the floor and some throw pillows to make the space extra comfortable. For food, pick something you can lay out on the blanket, such as a charcuterie board.
3. Have a Movie Night
If you want to keep things simple, just ask your partner to come over for a movie night. All you’ll need is a comfortable spot and plenty of snacks. Choose a film both of you have wanted to watch for a while or a favourite of yours that you want your significant other to see.
4. Create a Time Capsule
For a special occasion, such as an anniversary, a fun idea is to make a time capsule. You can put anything you want in the capsule, although it’s best if the items are related to the time you’ve spent together. Set a date in the future to open your time capsule, perhaps in a year or on another anniversary.
5. Make “Open When” Letters
If you want something you’ll be able to open sooner, write some “open when…” letters. Choose various conditions, such as “open when you need help falling asleep,” “open when you miss me,” or “open when it’s graduation day.” You may like to each write letters for the same conditions or each make up your own. Exchange your letters on your date and commit to not peeking.
A dorm room is never a fun place to have a date, even if you take steps to make the evening as special as possible. However, you’ll be able to have plenty of great dates with your significant other if you’re living in off-campus student housing. Oshawa students can move into a spacious suite or townhouse at Foundry Simcoe. You’ll have the privacy of your own bedroom and bathroom as well as a full kitchen with a dining table, where you can prepare and enjoy a romantic dinner. Book a tour to visit before you sign a lease.