Norman — A date can say as much about a relationship as a guy’s outfit says about him. A dinner at Taco Cabana says, “I like you but only after midnight when we’ve had a few drinks.” While a romantic horseback ride through the countryside says, “I like you enough to hang out with you during daylight and suffer through flies and horse stench just to impress you.”

Analyzing dates could go on and on, but the point here is to understand how imperative good dates are to creating lasting relationships. As a general rule, dates are more about quality than quantity. In a college town where dating is always on the brain, you want to start the relationship off right. But how do you without going into credit card debt?

Advertising junior, Chris Colvard, says that anytime it’s just him and his girlfriend, it’s a treat. Nights in with a Redbox movie and a home cooked meal are considered a good date for them. However, Colvard still tries to stay on his game with a grill-out, putt-putt and small gestures like bath oils or flowers he’s picked himself.

While these tactics work for some couples, not all significant others are as easy to please. This means tapping into all the other options Norman has to offer for impeccable dates.

Although Norman is no New York City, psychology senior, Sarah Mitchell, says she doesn’t feel limited by the options Norman has to offer for dates. Students have access to discounted entrance fees to OU’s acclaimed museums, free movie showings in the Union’s Meacham Auditorium and an abundance of local, well-kept parks.

“I grew up in a town smaller than Norman, so I’m used to not having a ton of entertainment to choose from,” Mitchell says. “I think it helps you get creative. It also makes you depend more on hanging out with friends for fun. Adding another couple makes dinner and a movie a whole new experience. It can make anything twice as fun!”

Mitchell and Colvard both say that venturing outside of Norman is also a good way to help keep things fun and cheap.

“Chickasaw State Park has great hiking and it’s only about an hour away,” Mitchell says. “That makes for a whole day of awesome nature.”

Staying in the realm of outdoors, any park is a cheap and entertaining date, depending on how creative you get. Even utilizing your very own place can turn out to be impressive and thrifty.

“My boyfriend has a balcony room at his fraternity house and he set up an extravagant dinner for me with a table cloth, lights on the balcony and his little bro as our waiter,” says Melissa Foy, journalism junior. “It was so thoughtful.”

While dates like Foy’s are usually the ones that stick with us, we’ve all experienced the opposite, less fun side of the spectrum. This is where neither party wants to put forth much effort on a date and pay, whether they are male or female. The worst is not realizing this until the check comes, suddenly resulting in a “lost wallet” causing a huge loss of interest. Remember, if this happens run.

There’s no need to be spooked, however. Successful dates in Norman still, and do, happen.

“No, I never allow my girlfriend to pay for anything, that’s my job,” Colvard says.

And though you will find many guys with this same mentality, sometimes it’s still nice for the girl to pay every once in a while. It’s not like tuition is cheaper for guys than it is for girls.

Mitchell says she likes to give her boyfriend a nice surprise now and then and pick up the tab for a date. She says it keeps things exciting and when he pays the next time that free dinner tastes even better.

Ultimately, cheap and creative dates are the ones that stick with a couple most prominently. Just as a gift is always more personal than a gift card, a date with thought is more meaningful than a free dinner.