Your significant other just texted you; “What’s up for tonight?” You got stuck with one of those 3:15 Friday classes, you’re exhausted and you’re broke. The last thing you feel like doing is going back to your dorm, taking a shower and driving around to find a fast food meal cheap enough to leave you with $20 left for a potential movie.
Fear not, Loquitur is here to provide you with the easiest and cheapest (nothing over 20 bucks!) dates ever. And don’t worry; there are no bowling trips anywhere on this list.
The Real Coffee Date: The Gryphon Café is an undiscovered gem in the world of college students. Nestled next to the Wayne movie theater on Lancaster Avenue in Wayne, this coffee shop is everything a coffee shop should be. The big, wooden tables and candles make it feel like you could be on your living room couch, but it’s still pretty romantic for a date night.
Coffee and hot chocolate are served in big, round mugs and sandwiches and bakery items are always fresh. Added bonuses? There’s live music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and the two-story Café offers free wireless access. Coupled or not, this place is one of the most underappreciated attractions on the Main Line. Music? Check. Food? Check. Facebook? Check.
The City Date: Cabrini is within a half hour of the City of Brotherly Love, yet most students fail to take advantage of what’s right there. On the first Friday of every month, Cabrini offers $2 round-trip train tickets into the city. Pick some up and save them for whatever weekend you need them because they don’t expire. Head down and visit the Art Museum on Sunday, when you can take advantage of $2 admission.
Once you’re done posing imitation Rocky pictures and visiting Love Park, don’t forget to pick up a cheesesteak. You’ll still have some pocket change left over to catch a cab somewhere or visit your friends in University City. This is what they meant when they said “cheap date.”
The Sports Date: Ladies, your boyfriends will love you forever. Gentlemen, you have the chance to really impress your girlfriend. The Dixon Center is always available, especially on Fridays when students are taking it easy.
Grab a basketball, and play a game of one-on-one. Winner picks the movie? Winner picks dinner? It’s your call. If one-on-one isn’t appealing to you, get a group of friends together. Nothing like a little friendly competition.
If none of these dates have appealed to you, or you’re reading this saying “No seriously, I have NO money,” then consider the options that are posted on flyers throughout your dorm. Cabrini offers $2 movie tickets to the Wayne movie theater-news flash: that’s a whopping $8 cheaper than a regular movie ticket, which leaves you some cash for concessions.
Plenty of campus clubs offer events on Friday nights, which means that you’ll have something to do for absolutely no money and you can grab dinner in the cafeteria or Jazzman’s beforehand. Sure it might not be a real big date, but at least you get to spend some alone time with your significant other.
Also, be sure to check the library, where you can rent movies like “Wedding Crashers” and “50 First Dates” as long as you have your student ID with you. It’s like an on-campus Blockbuster, how could you pass it up? And if you’re looking for something off-campus, catch the shuttle to the King of Prussia mall and visit one of the restaurants in the area.
Love doesn’t have to cost a thing; don’t let the term “date” intimidate you into thinking you have to find your nicest outfit and drop a few hundred at an expensive restaurant.
