So you’ve been with this loser for eight months now, and he or she doesn’t want to go to Century anymore. You’ve eaten at every restaurant, perfected your bowling (or even outdoor lovemaking) skills, and LSD just isn’t going to cut it for “quality time.” What do you do when you’ve done everything?

The key is thinking beyond what normal dating generally entails. Go outside. If the two of you have been together long enough, you know by now being with each other is more important than spending money.

Things like rock climbing, hiking or taking a good long walk together can be just as fulfilling as chatting over a bottle of Puligny-Montrachet (and far cheaper). The point is to make the experience of a relationship the least taxing to your wallet as possible — right?
To save yourself the trip to Kentucky or Alabama, check out the Evanston Athletic Center for their rock climbing wall and bouldering cave.

If you don’t want to pay to enroll, or didn’t grab any of those nifty coupons from the Daily awhile back, consider something outdoors-y in a public space. The lighthouse just north of campus has a rustic garden and a path that leads down to sandy dunes and a beach that will probably be empty. Cheesy-sounding? Yes. Beautiful? Also a resounding yes.

The other alternative is to acquire a pair of bicycles, and explore the surrounding neighborhoods. Pick a nice day, surprise your partner, and ride around Wilmette, Winnetka, Highland Park or Skokie. Work up to biking all the way to the city – then do it.

The Chicago Botanic Gardens are expansive and interesting – there are themed sections (Japanese garden, bulb garden, English walled garden, etc.), greenhouses, and several ponds with ducks and swans. It’s great exercise, it’s fun to look at, and you’ll feel like you actually got away from everything that is Northwestern when you’re finished. The gardens are about half an hour north on the 213 bus, which picks up at the Davis El station.

Even if going outside isn’t exactly your thing (which, considering the weather, it should be) there are plenty of things you can do that involve being indoors. Play racquetball at SPAC. Sign up for a salsa dancing class together. Sit on the lakefill and share your feelings.

Any of these things can be fulfilling, and most of them involve minimal mental effort — just a lot of body movement. Take advantage of the springtime, and leave your cell phone at home.