An opinion by Jessica Breger
Staff writer
It’s almost February, the month men everywhere dread. Valentine’s Day is around the corner and the money is not exactly rolling in for students in the Texoma area. I imagine any guy with a girlfriend, fiancé or wife is asking themselves “How do I survive this?”
As much as men don’t believe this, it is not the price of the gift that matters. It really is the thought. We women want to know our men think about us and want to do things just for us. So here are some V-Day (D-Day) ideas on a college guy’s budget.
If your girl doesn’t have to get up early, you can. Breakfast in bed is a bit cliché but also a sweet, simple way to show that you care enough to think of her before you even want to be awake. Wake her up with a sweet gesture like a kiss on the cheek.
After she is fully coherent and met with your smile, present her breakfast to her. Don’t forget to ask if there is anything else she needs. It sort of ruins the spell if she has to get up anyway.
If you can’t do breakfast, any meal will do. None of us really know why, but the thought of a man cooking for us melts our hearts. Just be sure that she doesn’t have to do the clean up afterward.
Now this year Valentine’s Day lands on a school day. This actually opens up a few avenues for romance. One rose (or any flower you know she would prefer) is all you need.
All you have to do is wait outside for her to leave class, present her with the flower and a kiss, then walk her home or to her next class.
She will feel like she stepped into a cheesy ‘80’s movie. There is a reason those movies were so popular. Every girl wants a surprise appearance from the guy she loves.
If you are not walking her home and you can get there before she does, you have even more options. Write her a love letter and tape it to her door, with or without a flower.
If you live together or have a key, go in and do her chores. There’s no better way to say “I love you” than to make life easier for her.
This also means you can leave little surprises for her while she is gone. Candy can replace the dishes on the counter or a note can be taped to the laundry basket.
Now if you are going to be home when she gets there, you can hide outside to let it sink in before you go in to get her gratitude.
If you won’t be there, sending her a sweet text will let her know you are thinking of her wherever you are.
The hard part of Valentine’s Day is not letting it sizzle out. The day has to end well. This can be done with dinner, a movie, a sweet gesture or a combination of these.
Again cooking is a winner. Make her a nice candle lit dinner or one with a romantic movie. Pastas are always nice.
In most cases, stay away from beef. It’s not exactly the most romantic meat out there.
Dessert doesn’t have to break the bank either. Heart-shaped or red anything should do the trick.
If you primarily control the media intake while you are with your girl, a movie is a great idea. Netflix is perfect for this.
If you don’t have a Netflix account rent a movie from Redbox. Light a few candles bring out some sparkling grape juice. It’s cheap and looks more romantic than soda.
Select a romantic movie and turn off the phones and computers. The cheesier the movie is, the more brownie points you get.
The idea is to let her know that this is for her. Pick something she knows you would not watch of your own free will. She may not admit this but I will. We want to know our men are willing to sacrifice for us.
A nighttime surprise can be as simple as putting on a romantic playlist before bed or giving her a light massage.
The key to any Valentine idea is that you make her the most important part of your life, even if only for the day. Make her feel pampered and adored.
You don’t have to have money to do that. You just have to make her the center of attention.