Story by Sam Stevenson, Reporter
Photo courtesy of Pexels.com

If only Cupid’s arrow came with instructions on what to do AFTER being hit, right?

Every February ushers in the most romantic time of the year, Valentine’s Day. As the calendar hits Feb. 14, everyone scrambles to find ways of showing significant others or loved ones their love. Cash is thrown into roses and giant stuffed bears, and gifts are purchased quicker than Wege cheese bread is consumed at lunch.

The biggest issue that college students face is the spending on the holiday. Many Aquinas College students don’t necessarily have the budget to treat a close one to a nice dinner or purchase a dozen authentic roses; there are groceries to be bought, tuition to pay, and for those with cars, annoying parking tickets to pay.

So what is one supposed to give on the day where people are meant to physically show their love?

If dining is the choice for the evening, campus has a lot of options that are inexpensive. Located right next to Regina Hall, the Moose is a warm and welcoming environment that often has events for people to enjoy or even participate in. For those looking for more peace and quiet, the upper floor of the Moose has many sofas and chairs to snuggle into for the night.

For those looking for more of an actual meal, Wege is also an option. On the tables in the dining hall are often special meals for each new month. On Feb. 14, from 5:30-7:30 pm, Wege will be hosting a special Valentine’s Day dinner. For only a swipe of an Aquinas College ID, a person could enjoy a nice meal with friends or their boyfriend or girlfriend. It may not be the fanciest, but it sure is cheap.

Now some people would rather choose something sweet or something floral. Just down the street from campus, Family Fare has low prices on chocolates, flowers, and simple Valentine’s Day cards. This makes it easy to obtain a last-minute gift for those choosing to be lackadaisical.

There are, of course, options that involve no money. Campus has many natural forest paths to walk around and take in the beauty of nature. East Grand Rapids is also a close walk and is full of beautiful sidewalk art to gaze on.

Downtown Grand Rapids is also full of fun and unique places to eat. It’s a bit of a walk compared to EGR, so that trip may be better suited for those with a vehicle on campus. Downtown GR holds Rosa Parks Ice Rink, which is a cheap and fun outdoors activity, even for those who can’t skate very well.

Aquinas College has so many options, both on and off-campus. Whether it’s keeping it within the small but robust grounds, or going off to explore the beautiful and unique city of Grand Rapids, there is more than enough at one’s disposal to impress a Valentine on Cupid’s day.