Simple and covid friendly springtime activities for you and your boo

By: Katie Kallahan

Clove Lakes Park, Staten Island. 10/10 would recommend it to a friend. Credit: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/clove-lakes-park/photos

 During the past year of this pandemic, many people have experienced cabin fever while quarantining. Now that the weather is getting warmer and people are beginning to get vaccinated, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of the nice weather. Here are some of the best and easy to plan dates you can do with your significant other. 

1. Picnic date

A classic. Head to your nearest Target or any supermarket to grab your favorite snacks and drinks. You can pack a bag with the goodies, and a blanket to lay out in the grass at your favorite park. Optional: bring a mini speaker to play some music.

2. Go for a walk

If your favorite coffee shop during pre-covid times is still not open for dine-in, you can grab a coffee-to-go and walk around the neighborhood with your date. You’ll both get some fresh air and it’s way less pressure-packed than staring at each other from across a table. 

3. TikTok food challenge

Never know where to go eat with your boo? That’s fine, this is the most fun solution: you and your partner play rock, paper, scissors, and whoever wins picks a place to go get a drink. Then you play again and the winner picks a place to get dinner. For the third and last round, the winner gets to pick dessert. 

4. Drive-in theater date

If you’re missing the movie theaters, this date is the perfect alternative, which just so happens to be automatically socially distant. Skyline Drive-in in Brooklyn is open and for $55 a car, you could have a fun night out and still stay covid safe watching a movie with your partner in your car. Bonus points if you have a bigger car, you could bring blankets and pillows to set up in the trunk to cuddle while watching. Also, don’t forget to smuggle in your movie snacks if you’re on a budget and want to avoid concession prices. 

5. Museum date

Spend the day in NYC and visit a museum, it’s great if you want to go out but don’t want to be in the summer heat all day. Most museums have a student discount, and some are even free for students, so don’t forget your school ID. The New Museum has student tickets for $12 and their exhibits are always cool and equally weird. A couple blocks down from the museum there’s a really cute coffee shop called Think Coffee, so after the museum, you could grab a drink and explore the city with your date.  

6. Paint in the park

Go to Micheals or the Dollar Tree and pick up some cheap art supplies, like small canvases, paints, and brushes. Then you can head to the nearest park and paint with your partner. You could even stop at a CVS or Walgreens to pick up a couple of snacks and drinks while you paint. Optional: this date could easily be transitioned into paint and sip if you were to set up the painting studio in your home and open a bottle of wine with your boo. 

7. Bonfire date

A summer night classic, create a bonfire in your backyard and invite some friends. Don’t forget the supplies for s’mores, and if you’re all 21+ you get bonus points for bringing the beer.

8. Breakfast on the beach date

A personal favorite, with one downfall that provides amazing results. The downfall is that you will have to wake up at around 5-6 am. But, you and your date could bring a big towel, stop at the nearest bagel store for sustenance, and head to the beach. You can lay out the towel and watch the sunrise together (which is an amazing result). It’s the perfect way to spend some time at the beach before the summer crowds start to roll in. 

9. Temporary tattoo game 

Put that Amazon Prime student discount to good use and order a pack of assorted temporary tattoos. You and your partner can spend the day indoors for this one, and ask each other questions. When either of you answers incorrectly, the other gets to put a tattoo on you wherever they want. 

10. Dog walking date

Oh, you don’t have a dog? And your partner doesn’t either? That’s perfect, you can visit Sean Casey Animal Rescue in Brooklyn and volunteer to take a dog out for a walk. From 11 am to 5 pm, you can take out a dog for up to 45 minutes. You can walk around the neighborhood with the bonus of hanging out with a furry friend.