This annual holiday has a long-standing tradition for romantic outings and cute memories, but at what cost?
Colin Corson, a sophomore majoring in marketing, once spent about $75 to nearly kill his date when he was 16.
He had planned the most innocent-seeming date, dinner and movie.
“That was mistake number one,” he said. “Never do a movie on a first date.”
The universe must have agreed with Corson, since he wound up mistaking the movie time and walking in, date in tow, halfway through The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
They sat through the rest of the film and stuck around to get into the next showing. Afterwards, this would-be couple makes their way to the dinner portion of the night.
Corson decided to splurge and go for an appetizer.
“I unknowingly ordered an appetizer with pesto in it,” he said, “And she was deathly allergic to pesto and took a bite.”
His date caught on quickly and used her EpiPen to stop the allergic reaction. Needless to say date number two never did come around.
“It makes a good story, though,” Corson said. “Silver linings and all that.”
If someone wants to try Corson’s date idea in Tuscaloosa, hopefully on a less deadly scale, it would cost $21 for two movie tickets and $40 for a dinner for two at Five Bar. Sometimes the cost can be even less if people prefer to “go Dutch” on a date and split the costs.
“If she offers [to split the bill] I think it’s pretty cool,” said Jacob Zimmer, a freshman majoring in management information systems and French. Zimmer said he always assumes that he’ll be the one paying for the date.
According to eHarmony.com, the dating website that touts being responsible for about 4 percent of the U.S.’ newlyweds, splitting the bill on a date is a big no-no.
Yvonne Sheasby, a freshman majoring in environmental sciences and finance, said she completely agrees. One of her worst dates happened when she and her date split the cost, and she had to drive (read: pay for her gas).
She said the date started going downhill as soon as she picked him up.
“I heard the back door open to my car,” Sheasby said. “I looked back. It was his brother getting in.”
Apparently the 16-year-old little brother thought this would be a double date and had invited his crush to meet him at the restaurant. His crush was a no-show.
“He’s one of those emotional guys that if he doesn’t get the crush he has this huge tantrum,” Sheasby said.
This tantrum included flipping a table over inside the restaurant and spilling a guacamole-filled burrito all over Sheasby who had paid about $6 for what she said was an unfortunate, messy experience.
“It definitely would’ve been better if he had paid,” she said. “And if his brother hadn’t spilled his burrito all over me.”
Sheasby said she thinks men should always be the one to pay for a date.
“You asked us to be on this date, you asked us to take time from our lives to go on a date and spend time with you, and if you don’t make it worthwhile, then why should we give you the time of day?” she said.
