4 ideas for the perfect 'mate dates'

Valentine’s Day is filled with love, cupids and too many PDA-ing couples. However, for those of us who are single, have long distance partners or just prefer pal time, it can be hard to decide what to do on this dreaded day. Not anymore! Here is a list of fun ideas you can do with friends to catch the 'love bug' this Valentine’s Day season. Get ready for the best Palentines Day ever!

1. Bake some Valentine's Day cookies

Who can say no to some delicious freshly baked cookies!! Grab a friend, put on some comfy clothes and follow this amazing recipe to make the perfect Valentine’s Day treat! This recipe makes around 11 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 300g caster sugar 

• 200g margarine 

• 1 egg

• 275g self-raising flour 

• 75g cocoa powder 

• 1 bar dark/milk cooking chocolate 

• 1 bar white cooking chocolate

• Edible glitter and heart sprinkles (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees / gas mark 6.

2. Line a baking tray with baking paper (line two trays to bake the cookies in the oven at the same time, or use one tray to bake one batch at a time).

3. Mix the caster sugar and margarine until combined.

4. Mix in the egg.

5. In a separate bowl, combine the self-raising flour and cacao powder.

6. Gradually sieve this into your sugar/margarine mixture, adding about a third at a time and mixing this in.

7. Break up your chocolate bars.

8. Roll the cookie dough into balls, pressing one cube of dark and one cube of white chocolate into the middle and rolling the cookie dough around it.

9. Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies should come out a little gooey, they will harden as they cool.

10. (Optional): After cookies are cooled, spray edible glitter and shake on some heart shaped sprinkles.

11. Store cookies in an airtight container.

12. ENJOY!!

2. Explore some of London's best free date spots

If you’re looking for a “mate date” outside of the house, there are many places in London that are perfect for Valentine’s Day fun. Even better, these places are all indoors and British-weather proof. 

National Gallery

If art is up your street, go to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. It houses over 2300 paintings which date back from the mid-13th century to 1900. It is the perfect place to immerse yourself in some of the worlds most reputable artists including Van Gogh, Monet and Michelangelo.

Sky Garden

Sky garden is a beautiful public garden on the top floor of a skyscraper.  With stunning views of London, a gorgeous restaurant and breathtaking scenery, this place is the perfect date spot. Only 20 minutes from campus, Sky Garden is also close to other popular tourist destinations such as the Tower of London, St Paul’s cathedral and the HMS Belfast. Make sure to book your spot in advance as they don’t take walk-ins! 

Barbican Conservatory

Barbican conservatory is a free public conservatory which is home to a selection of tropical plants and exotic fish. In the centre of Barbican, this place is easy to get to and the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature, even on a rainy day.

3. Make some Valentine's mocktails

My favourite activity to do with my friends is play card games, and for that you need yummy drinks!! These Valentine's day mocktail recipes are the perfect refreshers to enjoy with your friends! Each recipe serves 2.

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Pink lemonade

• Ice cubes (optional)

• Lemon juice (optional and add to taste!)

• 300ml Lemonade

• 30 ml Cranberry juice

Recommended alcohol pairing: add 25ml of Malibu to make it more tropical.

Method

1.     Add ice cubes to your glasses

2.     Follow this by adding 300ml of lemonade per glass

3.     Top this up with 30ml cranberry juice per glass

4.     Tada! You’ve made pink lemonade :3

5.     Top up with slices of lemon- optional

6. For a sugar rim, rub lemon juice along the rim of your glass and swirl in a teaspoon of sugar to coat the edge. Then add a wedge of lemon or strawberry to finish! 

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Sunset drink

• Ice cubes (optional)

• 300ml Lemonade

• 30ml Cranberry juice

• 20ml orange juice

• Top up with more cranberry juice and orange juice to create gradient!

Recommended alcohol pairing: add 25ml of vodka to make a cosmopolitan!

Method

1.     Add ice cubes to your glasses

2.     Follow this by adding 300ml of lemonade per glass

3.     Top this up with 30ml cranberry juice per glass

4.     Now add the 20ml of orange juice gradually to your glass, it will mix with the pink lemonade and create a nice gradient effect

5.     Top with more cranberry and orange juice as required to create further gradient!

6.     Top up with fresh raspberries or strawberries- optional

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Berry Citrus Iced Tea

• Ice cubes (optional)

• 3 tea bags

• 400ml hot water

• 2 tsp honey

• 1 tsp lemon juice per cup

• 50ml Cranberry Juice

Recommended alcohol pairing: add 25ml of dry gin. 

Method

1.     Add tea bags to a bowl

2.     Then add 400ml of hot water, like you’re making tea!

3.     Add 2 tsp honey or honey to taste

4.     Put the tea into the refrigerator to cool down for around 20 minutes (or until its chilled!)

5.     Add ice cubes to your glasses

6.     Pour in your brewed and chilled iced tea to the glasses

7.     Then add 1tsp of lemon juice per glass

8.     Top this up with 50ml cranberry juice!

9.     Top up with slices of lemon – optional

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4. Attend the Residential Life Movie Binge and Bingo

"I know you can be underwhelmed, and you can be overwhelmed. But can you ever just be, like,... whelmed?"

You can in Europe, so grab your friends and join us at QM Social on 13 February for a screening of 10 things I hate about you! If you're lucky, your movie quote bingo card might even win you a prize. This is a perfect mate date outing, with plenty of pining over young Heath Ledger and hoping for your long lost love to walk through the doors. Check out the event info here. 

5. Do some karaoke

After drinking those delicious mocktails it's time to scream Taylor Swift's Lover album at the top of your lungs. Karaoke is such a fun activity to do with friends, and a great way to let loose this Valentine’s Day. If you don’t feel comfortable going to a karaoke bar, you can easily do this from home. However, if you like your neighbours, there are also plenty of places in East London you can go!

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The closest karaoke spot to campus is nearby in The Cherry. For as little as £5 per person per hour, you and 4 friends can go in their private karaoke booth to sing the night away. You can book online via their website.