By Karen Gavis/se news editor

Valentine’s Day dates do not need to be expensive to be successful or romantic, some on SE Campus say.

SE student Tkami Pfeil recalled an inexpensive Valentine’s Day date she once had. Her date bought her flowers and chocolates and took her to a movie. Pfeil said she was OK with that.

“It was good because it was just the two of us,” she said. ”I’m not one of those girls that like a lot of expensive things. I’m simple.”

Pfeil said just spending Valentine’s Day together is all she cares about.

SE student Cole Thomas said he would scour the Internet for nice restaurants and entertainment venues if he were looking for a cheap date on Valentine’s Day.

“You can Google it because I’ve already looked at that,” he said.

Rusty Fox, SE vice president of student development services, said it is surprising what a nice bowl will do.

“It’s the presentation that creates the main scene,” he said.

Fox said Taco Bell or even pizza can be presented well, and people can always create their own scene or excitement.

“I shop at Ikea for real plates,” he said. “Seventy cents for a plate adds a nice touch.”

Fox said when friends come to his house, he serves them on real dishes. He may have to spend an hour and a half washing them afterward, but it is worth it, and he doesn’t mind, he said.

Still, he thinks one of the best things to do is to plan an adventure.

“Picnics are still fun,” he said.

SE student Chaz Hayes has noticed that the price of roses always goes up during the holidays, but, like Pfeil, he said Valentine’s Day is really about spending time together.

“You could write them a poem,” he said. “Just show them that they are special to you.”

SE Achieving the Dream coordinator Jacquelyn Warmsley said she thinks inexpensive dates can still be romantic and successful, but a person would need to plan and think it through.

“It certainly is a way to find out if you’re dating a person with substance or someone that’s materialistic,” she said.