The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

Falling in love: Autumn dates can get creative

As the fall season approaches, couples tend to migrate back inside. Much of the fall dating scene includes the traditional dinner and a movie, but this fall, take your relationship a step further by doing something different.

Get lost together

What better way to spend a romantic evening than to get lost together. Couples can visit the Reindeer Ranch in Rantoul to try their skills in the annual fall corn maze.

“Before you go into the maze, you get a punch card and a map,” said Kayla Carnahan, senior in ACES. “The goal is to find the punch card locations and your way out.”

The corn maze provides adventure for those couples who are up for it, and requires the pair to work together. This would be a good date idea because the maze usually takes about an hour to complete and it can be done during the day or at night, Carnahan said.

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Hit the ice

If you’re looking for an active date that can be done indoors, the campus Ice Arena, located on East Armory Avenue, is the place to be. The Ice Arena holds public skate times on Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m, and Saturdays and Sundays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Lunch time skates are also open Monday through Friday from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

“Ice skating is definitely a fun way to workout, especially for your legs,” said Patricia Carlson, a senior in LAS taking KIN 104, Skating Activities. “After the first day of class, which is only fifty minutes on the ice, I could already feel a difference in my legs.”

Back to the basics

Many of us concentrate so much on the traditional dinner and movie date, we forget about the beautiful scenery our campus offers. Fall is the perfect time to take your date on a romantic walk around campus. This date serves as a relaxing time to break away from the stress of tests and homework.

Another simplistic date is star gazing.

“Star gazing is something I do with my girlfriend,” said Jacob Hollars, senior in LAS. “It is something you can’t do in the ‘burbs. Just go about 10 minutes south of campus on Lincoln Avenue and it’s beautiful at night,”

Bringing blankets and snacks can make your star gazing date a complete romantic evening.

Go country

There is no better way to get into the fall spirit than to head out to the country for a day. Curtis Orchard, in Champaign, offers activities for couples seeking a laid-back day or evening.

“When thinking about fall, the first thing that comes to my mind is picking pumpkins,” Carlson said.

Carlson and her boyfriend went to Curtis Orchard last year to explore the pumpkin patch. The autumn air and farm setting was very cozy and romantic, she said.

Although she enjoyed picking pumpkins with her boyfriend, Carlson admitted her favorite part about the day was the apple-cider. “It was delicious and a healthy ending to our day,” she said.

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