Valentine’s Day roses have wilted and Winter Formal dresses are back in the closet, but that doesn’t mean affection should fade with the season. A strong romantic relationship is built through time spent together, so here are a few date activities that, even if not outwardly romantic, can help maintain and develop relationships by focusing on genuine moments together.
Volunteering
Hard to get permission to hang out? Your parents may have a harder time saying no to volunteering together. This may not sound like a typical date, but it’s a rewarding way to spend time together as it gives back to the community.
Northwood’s volunteering clubs offer countless low-commitment volunteer opportunities that fit a variety of interests, making it easy to find something you’ll both enjoy. For example, the Youth Action Team and tutoring clubs offer after-school volunteer projects without significant planning. You can even find groups tailored to both of your interests; for example, if you both play an instrument, you could play together in one of MUSE Club’s service concerts.
Learning hobbies
It’s always fun to pick up a new hobby or skill, so why not do it with the person you love?
By learning your partner’s native language, impressing their parents will be easier than ever.
It is also a practical hobby that provides long-term life skills and can give you both a shared goal. Free online apps can make language learning accessible anywhere from cafes to a corner in your room.
Crafts like pottery can channel your shared creativity. Since it can also serve as a functional gift, every time you use it, you’ll hopefully be reminded of the memories you made. Color Me Mine, a pottery painting studio located in the Tustin Market Place, is a place where you can chat and paint for hours.
More hobbies can include knitting, sewing or crocheting together. Buying yarn and finding YouTube tutorials is all you need to create homemade scarves, cardigans and plushies that could become treasured keepsakes or surprise gifts!
Going on day trips
Just because you’re in high school doesn’t mean traveling is off the table. With an Irvine Connect bus stop running past Northwood, you can access local cafes, restaurants and other date spots for free after school. It also allows for spontaneous dates after school without arranging rides.
Even for students with cars, hopping on public transportation together lets you keep your eyes and ears on your partner rather than the road. Plus, there are no offhanded comments about your driving. For the more adventurous, a Metrolink train ride can provide easy access to regional attractions such as the historic city of San Juan Capistrano and downtown Los Angeles.
Studying
Studying might not be the most eventful date, but it is a way to spend quality time together, and it also indicates that you are truly in a healthy relationship. Sometimes being able to just enjoy your partner’s company in silence can be a meaningful thing—perhaps while questioning the intricacies of Shakespeare?
Studying together also reduces the often overwhelming stress that comes from heavy academic loads. Helping each other in subjects the other struggles with can be a great method, as well as quizzing each other for memorization. Libraries and cafes are great locations to study in a cozy and quiet environment.
