15 Fun And Cheap Things To Do On Your Next ‘Best Friend Date’
College can be awesome, but sometimes you and your best friends can get tired of going to that one coffee shop on campus or just sitting in your dorms. Here are some creative ideas to get you and your bestie out of the slump you may be in and try something new and fun that may even start a whole new hobby for you! Keep reading for 15 fun things you and your BFF can do for your next special best friend date!
1. Try out the coffee and pastries at a new café or bakery.
If you and your best friend love spending your afternoons in your favorite coffee shop, donut shop, or café, then try researching some interesting “mom and pop shops” that may be tucked away in your town. You could also make this one an adventure by walking around town until you find somewhere that seems like a cute place to try out! Once you find the perfect café to stop into, try getting something you have never tried before, especially if the shop has any specialty items or signature drinks. Try and resist the urge to both get the same thing, so that each of you can compare which pastry or cup of tea tastes better!
2. Create taste tests for each other at a new restaurant.
Go to your favorite bar (or coffee shop if you’re not 21) and pick out a few different beers or wine, (or flavors of coffee or tea) or really whatever drink or food items you prefer! Get the smallest size of each and don’t tell your best friend what they are. When you both have picked your drinks or food of choice, sit down and take turns trying these mystery concoctions. You may get a good laugh out of the ones that taste bad, or if you’re lucky you might even get a new favorite dish out of it!
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3. Pack a picnic, grab some music, and find a nice spot to relax in the park.
Find a nice spot for you and your bestie to lay out on a blanket, the more scenic the location the better! You can even make a nice hike out of it if you want, and pack a simple yet delicious lunch for yourselves. And if you’re not having picnic weather, consider bringing out your inner child and have an indoor picnic by making a fort and hanging out in there for the day with your snack of choice!
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4. Agree on a Pinterest recipe and start cooking or baking.
Even if you and your best friend can’t go near an oven without burning something, it will be a fun experience that you both will remember! Whether your weapon of choice is baking a Pinterest creation, or trying a challenging entree from your favorite cooking show or website, this one is not only a fun activity but you get to eat the results! Just be sure to keep the phone number of the nearest pizza place close by so you can have a backup in case this one goes awry.
5. Grab some snacks, blankets, and have your own movie night.
Have an in-dorm movie night and watch one of those ultra-cheesy Netflix flicks that they so kindly provide for us, (which can be anything from a sappy love story to a badly made horror film). This way there’s something for you no matter what mood you’re in- you can either laugh at how bad it is, or cry along to the cheesy romance. To make this one even better, watch the movie while eating your fave comfort food- or a dessert you made together (see number 4)!
6. Go to the mall with the goal of picking out an outfit for each other.
For all those college kids out there on a budget, this can be a fun (and also affordable) activity for you and your best friend to try out, and you get a new outfit out of it! Each of you gets $20 and needs run around the mall trying to find a complete outfit for your bestie without going over your spending limit. This one is a challenge because clothing prices are not always merciful on our small wallets, so at the end of the day compare who found the best deals and got more with their twenty! And if your best friend knows your style well, at the end of the day you will end up with an awesome outfit!
7. Attend a “How-To” class together and learn some new skills.
Is there something you and your best friend have always said you were going to try but never have? Groupon.com is a website that allows you to purchase things for a discounted price, so go ahead and look around! Maybe you can find a fun karate or kickboxing class, salsa or other dance classes, cooking class, painting, or learning to make pottery. Whatever you and your bestie like to do, or have always wanted to learn, this could be a great way to have fun while learning a new skill you can use together!
8. Go thrift shopping!
This option for your next best friend date can also be an inexpensive one if you devote enough time to this activity! Going thrifting or to local flea markets with your BFF can be a great way to either find yourself some cheap things that have been on your wish list for a while, or to see what unique gems you can find there. This one can be as silly as trying on crazy outfits and laughing at the interesting items you find in the stores, or you can also make it a shopping day where you actually come home with some great finds! Either way, it is going to be a great time with your best friends!
9. Pick out books you think each other would like at the library.
If you and your best friend like to read, try going to the public library and picking out a book for each other based on what you think the other would like. You can then meet on your next BFF date and talk about the books you are reading and if you like them or not!
10. Scope out Pinterest decor and get crafting.
Whether it’s painting your favorite quotes on canvas, or looking up creative decorations or desk accessories, this one can be as creative and crazy as you want. It can be a nice relaxing time, or a hilarious project that leaves you both covered in glitter and paint. It will definitely be a good time with your friend and you’ll even get a nice dorm accessory out of it!
11. Go shopping to see how many free things you can both get.
At first thought, many people view the mall as being full of expensive stores, where you go home having bought way more than you originally intended. A fun idea for you and your best friend could be to go to the mall and not spend a single dollar. Run around to all the stores, kiosks and food courts and see how many free things you can get in that trip- you may be amazed at how many free samples, mini makeovers, and little gadgets people are giving away. Bonus points if you find stores that let you play with their toys or devices!
12. Check your town’s community website to see what’s going on in your area.
Look on the community website for your town, because there might be a lot of free activities for you to take advantage of! Whatever you and your best friend are into, your town website is a great resource for fun things right near you like free concerts or movies in the park, open mic nights at local restaurants, book readings or guest speakers at the local library, or even some free or cheap event happening at your local community center! It never hurts to check it out, and you guys may end up having one of the most memorable nights together for free!
13. Try a out a new sport or exercise class.
If you and your best friend like to be active, or even just love sports, consider taking up a new sport together! Even if neither of you are good at sports, you can just laugh together at how silly you look! Some ideas could be to go to the batting cages, play tennis, or try your hand at golf by playing some pitch and putt!
14. Only talk in accents in public.
There is something a little exhilarating about pretending to be someone completely different for a night. Go out to dinner and talk in your accent of choice all night! Most likely, you and your best friend will be laughing about it all night! And if you like a good challenge, try making it a competition and play that the first one to break character pays for dinner!
15. Pitch a tent in your backyard to watch the stars.
If the weather is warm, set up a tent, (or just bring some warm blankets outside) and lie down watching the stars. It is nice to be able to have a conversation while relaxing and watching the sky. If you’re feeling really adventurous you can set up a campfire as well and roast s’mores.
No matter what you are doing, it will definitely be a good time because you and your besties can always make anything enjoyable when you are together. Take any of these fun ideas and try them out with your best friend because you will definitely make some memories while trying something new. And you may even find a new favorite hobby or coffee shop out of it that will provide inspiration for many more “date nights” to come with your best friends!
