Dating at BU
by Katerina Yang
Photography courtesy of Noor Nasser
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. With that comes a campus filled with roses, balloons and couples walking down along campus hand in hand. No moment can be sweeter than that of happy couples.
BU students spend their Valentine’s Day in a variety of ways; whether it is with their significant other or with close friends.
Trista Lyn (CAS ’19) said that she and her boyfriend have been together for three and a half years. Lyn attended college in Connecticut before transferring to BU. While in Connecticut, she maintained a long-distance relationship. For her, distance makes love grow fonder. Luckily for Lyn, her boyfriend attends BU so she is free to spend her Valentine’s Day with him. However, finding the right gift is important to her.
“I haven’t prepared a Valentine’s gift yet,” said Lyn. “I hope to knit him something if I have time. If not, I will buy him a belt instead.”
Lyn recalled that her most unforgettable Valentine’s Day was in her freshman year when she was not too busy with schoolwork. She said her boyfriend came to her school and they cooked delicious meals together. She even made a video for him with her singing and playing with a ukulele.
Like Lyn, Andrew Manson (COM ’19) is lucky to have his girlfriend at BU. For Valentine’s Day, Mason booked a reservation at Lo Conte’s, a delicious restaurant in Boston’s North End, the Italian district. This restaurant holds special importance in their relationship as he and his girlfriend went there for their three year anniversary in October.
Mason said that the dinner will be just part of his gift to his girlfriend.
“For gifts, we have agreed to not spend too much on a gift,” said Mason. “I will pay for the dinner for sure, and get her some sort of small gift on top of that.”
To Mason, the Valentine’s Day is a time to show affection for the ones people love. It doesn’t necessarily lead to lots of spending.
“Especially for guys, it’s a big pressure situation to spend a lot of money and do something fantastic,” said Mason.
“Of course, you don’t want to disrespect or disappoint your significant other, but you can still make him or her happy by doing something inexpensive and simple,” said Mason. “At least for me, just shaving and looking cleaned up is enough to make my girlfriend happy.”
Not all BU students are lucky enough to be in close proximity to their significant other. Natalie Lew (CAS ’18) is currently in a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend who works in Hong Kong. She said that they don’t have any plans yet for the Valentine’s Day but they talk everyday on the phone. She acknowledged that her boyfriend has work, and they often have limited time together, but she enjoys the times she has with him.
Regardless of how you spend your Valentine’s Day, remember that there all loved ones all around you. Take time to soak up this love-filled day!