Feel the love with a little effort

Thanks to overwhelming displays at Walgreens and commercially planted expectations, Valentine’s Day has been all but ruined by overly high expectations.

This year, toss out ideas about buying expensive jewelry, chocolate and fancy dinners. Personalize your plans and think about what your date will love. Still drawing a blank? Here are some ideas to get on a love train of thought:

Long-term relationship
For such a sentimental holiday, nothing could be better than reminiscing about the past with your sweetheart. You could go to the place you met or do what you did for your first date. If you decide a gift is appropriate, you could make the wrapping paper yourself. Collage plain paper with images that illustrate your relationship’s history, heart-melting moments you experienced together — anything that you associate with your relationship.

Student Thomas Morgan, who has been in a relationship for two and a half years, said as long as you’re with the person you love, nothing else matters.

“Valentine’s Day to me isn’t about going and doing things, or spending money, or buying gifts or any of that,” he said. “It’s about being with the person. Anything else just seems to me really superficial, just completely unnecessary.”

Short-term relationship
If you’ve been steadily dating someone, but aren’t quite so serious about the relationship, do something that will bring the two of you closer together. The best part about casual relationships is that Valentine’s Day doesn’t require an elaborate effort on either party’s part.

Student Sydney Hodge said the ideal date for a green couple would be to share a fun experience.

“I would like to go do something different,” she said. “Rock climbing, go somewhere random for weird adventures and just talk a lot. Picnics are cute, too.”

Something fun might be to ride just outside the city for some star gazing. This can be a light-hearted adventure and even inspire memorable conversations. If you’re low on cash, hop on a bicycle, venture around town and explore the natural beauty New Mexico has to offer, especially right around dusk.

Romantic date
Regardless of how long you’ve been dating a person, you can use this day to take the relationship to a more intimate level.
Student Michael Shoemate said figure out what love means, and find a way to manifest those ideas during a date.
“Love is innocent and fragile,” he said. “It’s falling asleep watching a movie together and helping each other when you’re sick. Love is sexy. Love is real, but the best thing about love is that it’s all of those things and whatever else you want it to be.”
Either party can be successful by creating a homemade gift. Possibilities are endless. Cards are easiest. Even if you don’t consider yourself much of an artist, your girl or guy will cherish your attempt at expressing affection through poetry, drawing, or painting. The fact that you tried says more than any cliché Hallmark card could ever convey.

Just met
You got lucky and landed yourself a date on Valentine’s Day.
Since there are no issues, like struggling to please with the perfect way of saying, “I love you,” you can spend this day just getting to know each other. You can venture into the mountains on a hike, make a dinner together and maybe have dessert, watch a terrible chick flick and have fun bashing the corniness, or double date with another new couple.