Social Distance doesn’t have to mean emotional distance this Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is known as a day of love, but also stress. Thinking of the perfect way to celebrate with your significant other is now more difficult than ever. The mere thought of spending Valentine’s Day in a crowded restaurant seems like a thing of the past in light of COVID-19. This leaves couples clueless on what they can do to spend time with their loved one while staying healthy.

Dinner seems to be a classic activity for Valentine’s Day, but a candlelit dinner at a fancy restaurant can expose many to the virus. Instead of spending the day surrounded by other people, staying home and cooking dinner can be a great alternative. 

“I feel like cooking with them at home is more romantic,” sophomore Megan Olivero said. 

 “You can choose whatever you [want to] eat and it could honestly be more fun. When you cook with them, I feel like the meal is more personal because you guys made it together.” 

There won’t be any strangers or having to wait for the check when sharing a meal at home, so this idea may be favored post pandemic.

A picnic is also a great way to enjoy a bite without a crowd of people. Whether it’s under the warm sun or the bright stars, it’s a spontaneous way to spend time with someone.

“I love picnics,” Jada Gaynair said. “I feel like getting little snacks or even fast food would be so cute. Especially at night under the stars.” 

If eating doesn’t seem to spark an interest, drive-in movies can be an option. 

“They have a drive-in at the Swap Shop,” Juan Gonzales said. “I heard it’s really good.” The Swap Shop is a flea market and drive-in theater in Fort Lauderdale that also displays a Ferrari collection. According to their website, tickets for the movies are $7 per adult, $2 per children ages 5-11, and free for ages 1-4. More information can be found out at floridaswapshop.com.

“Drive-in movies sound pretty cool for a date. Plus, you’re not sitting around random people,” Gonzales said. “If anything, you can always watch a movie at home, or stream a comedy show or something.”

Trying new things is another way to experience Valentine’s Day. It doesn’t have to involve going out and meeting new people, but instead little activities at home. Origami, knitting, or even learning a new language together are a few examples. Even if the date doesn’t go as planned, the time spent won’t be wasted.

“Me and this one girl tried painting pictures of each other,” sophomore Edward Javellana said. “I mean, we weren’t really good but it was kind [of] fun. Her sister had an art box, so we just used what we found.” 

Tutorials for arts and crafts can be found on the Craftsy app.

Javellana also had a contest on who could make the biggest Lego tower. They had a series of silly contests and laughed through them all.

 “We made a mess, but it was worth it,” Javellana said.

Other activities to try out can be learning a dance, photography or tie-dying t-shirts.

With plenty of spontaneous dates you can have at home or distanced from others, you can still exercise virus caution while making sure this Valentine’s Day delivers excitement and romance.