Valentine’s Day – Date Night

Now that Valentine’s Day is coming up, some of us have to think of ways to spend the day/evening with our romantic partner. We don’t want to keep doing the same thing as the year before so we have to come up with something new or even just add a twist to the usual. We may feel limited living in Lamoni because we think that there are not many options, but at the same time this makes it interesting. We get to be creative and plan our own date to make it sentimental for each other.

Here are some ideas you can use to make the day/evening special:

Picnics

A simple way to spend the day with your partner is by having a picnic. A perfect place to do this is at Lamoni’s Home Pond. It is surrounded by trees, and there are a couple of tables you can use.  

If you feel like a dare devil, you can have your picnic on one of the bike trails. As the sun goes down, there isn’t that many people out so take advantage. This may seem crazy, but it will definitely be something you both won’t forget. I would suggest the bike trail at the west side of town by Liberty Hall where there aren’t that many trees around, and you can enjoy the country view.

Or just have the picnic in your room! You can always set a blanket on the floor and create a picnic atmosphere. It doesn’t matter where you go, that is part of the fun! 

Sunsets

Iowa sunsets are definitely something each person should experience, and what’s more perfect than on a date with your partner! Lamoni’s Home Pond has a great view of the horizon. On Graceland’s campus, Tess Morgan lobby has another view of the sunsets that you can enjoy indoors. Big G Lake has a spectacular view of the campus and having the sunset behind it makes it incredible.

Stargazing

Stargazing is another date you can plan. We have the advantage of having lakes close by, such as Lake LaShane, about a mile outside of Lamoni where there are no lights and no trees to disturb the view.

An open area around on campus for stargazing is in between the Administration building and Walker Hall. You can bring a blanket or just sit on the benches that are there. Big G also has a good view of the sky for this event.

Restaurants

There are a variety of restaurants in town that have delicious food. One of my favorites is Quilt Country; they do their own homemade dishes that will leave you satisfied. 

White Valentine

If there’s snow on the ground this Valentin’s day, take your date sledding! The outskirts of Graceland’s campus have some pretty fun slopes that are perfect for sledding. Lots of people have used them over the years and there are no complaints.

Arts & Crafts

Everyone loves the white snow, but this time mix it up! Pack a few spray bottles full of water and food coloring before heading out, then find a large spot of undisturbed snow to create your masterpiece!

A way to test how much both know about the other is to have fun creating a scavenger hunt. Write down hints that only your partner would know and put each with a certain item. When your partner is done and everything is collected, continue with what the items were intended for, such as movie or dinner.

Choose one of these ideas and try it out for Valentine’s Day. If you like more than one, combine them. The point of this is to enjoy each other’s company and make it memorable.

-Selene Oviedo Cardenas, Senior