A first date can make or break a new relationship. If it goes well, you can get more dates and kisses; if it goes poorly, your date can tell all of his or her friends how incredibly lame you are. The key to being remembered for all the right reasons is to get out of the four block radius around Emerson and make the night a worthy memory. Here are some of my favorite date ideas that I hope will bring you as much joy after the date as it will while you are on it.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: The museum is filled with beautiful works of art, old furniture, sculptures, and letters to keep you entertained, but is also dimly lit and pretty romantic. Nothing will make you want to hold hands like the beautiful garden in the center of the museum. Emerson students get in for free, so minus the travel costs, it is a cheap date that is sure to make you seem smart and deep. And it gets you away from the prying eyes of classmates. Emerson students also get into museums like the Museum of Fine Arts for free, so check out some of the others for future dates.
Kayaking on the Charles: Hands down, the best first date I have ever been on was when a guy took me kayaking on the Charles River. It is a little too cold now, but when the weather is nice, nothing says sexy like a big blue sky and some strong arms rowing you through the water. It may take a few weeks of weightlifting at the gym in preparation, but it is so worth it. Never underestimate upper body strength for after-hours play.
Eating out: Although I love the restaurants in Chinatown, it is the most generic Emerson date spot. There are no brownie points for lack of creativity. Get off campus to show you’re adventurous and take your date somewhere he or she hasn’t been a thousand times. I recommend looking at places near Central Square or Harvard, like Veggie Planet or Border’s Cafe. The train ride is pretty short if you’re coming from campus, and there are a lot of options.
Salsa or swing classes at Ryles Jazz Club: They teach a beginner’s salsa and swing class at Ryles in Inman Square. There is no greater way for two people to bond than to laugh at how bad you both are at dancing together. The instructors are really nice and the music isn’t too loud, so it’s not stressful and you can talk. Plus you can examine your partner’s hip movements.
Movie night with a twist: If you really want to go see a movie, try going to the Coolidge Corner Theatre. They have cool independent movies and some old movies we all used to love. They have several showings of The Room coming up. The train ride over will give you the opportunity to talk, and the theater lets you show off how hip and up with independent film you are.
Sports games: I’ve been out with a couple of big sports fans who took me to some games. If your date isn’t a huge sports fan in the first place, I’d recommend going to a hockey game. Baseball is hard to get into if you aren’t already into it, football is expensive and hard to get to, and basketball is probably OK but I have never gotten into it. But I went to my first hockey game recently, and it was surprisingly entertaining. The Bruins have an incredibly dedicated fan base, and there is always a lot of action. Plus, nothing gets your date riled up like watching a couple of big guys fight!
No matter what you do, remember that a date is your chance not only to get to know another person, but also to allow you to experience new and interesting things yourself. Be creative and get away from the boring dinner-and-a-movie-next-to-campus cliché. You’re better than that and your date should get to see that.
If you have any dating questions, submit them to [email protected].