Go on an Enriching, Affordable Date Through UNLV’s School of Music

The Short Version: College students often struggle to find fun, creative dates that fit within their budgets. But for students at UNLV, a great date spot is right around the corner. UNLV’s School of Music offers an affordable option for students looking for a fun date night. With over 150 performances a year, the school offers something everyone will enjoy.

Taking your partner somewhere special on a date is a wonderful way to show you care. You show your ability to put in effort, think outside the box, and make the time you spend together as unique as they are. But as a college student, you may not have the money or even the transportation to do many of the typical activities one would expect on a nicer date. The expense of going to fancy restaurants, concerts, and other shows on a regular basis is likely unsustainable. This is especially true for college students in a city like Las Vegas, where many of the local shows and productions are intended for vacationers willing to spend a good deal of money.

Luckily, college students in Las Vegas need look no further than their own university for great activities that are sure to impress their dates. At the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, students have access to a rich variety of performances put on each semester by the university’s School of Music. Students can check out the more than 150 concerts, recitals, and staged performances in Las Vegas conducted each year by School of Music students and faculty. 

Going to a School of Music performance is a convenient way to enjoy a fun and wholesome activity with a date. For couples who attend UNLV, the School of Music performances offer an opportunity to bond on common university grounds. It’s an especially great option for couples in the early stages of dating. A date in a public area known well to both parties ensures that both partners feel safe and secure with the activity, location, and of course, price.

Dating in college can be tricky to navigate, but with resources like the School of Music, singles and couples alike can go on fun and easy dates at little cost.

When someone is going on a date early in a relationship, they want to put in the exact amount of effort. Too little effort suggests that they aren’t taking the date — and the potential relationship — seriously, while too much effort could put unnecessary pressure and anxiety onto their date partner. At no phase of life is this dynamic more true than in college. 

Adults in their late teens and early 20s are at a point in their lives that often tends toward noncommittal. The rise of hookup culture has made this more true than ever. Even for those who ultimately want a serious relationship, jumping head first into expensive, high-pressure dates can feel like they’re wrought with expectation. And for college students who seldom have much money to spare as it is, shelling out half of one’s monthly part-time wages for an evening is hardly appealing. 

When UNLV students go on dates at the School of Music’s shows, they get a happy medium between a classy, interesting date and low cost and effort. Going to see a performance sets the date apart from simply grabbing a drink or food, while keeping the cost perfectly manageable for students on a budget. Additionally, performances located on UNLV’s campus or in other auditoriums around the city will be relatively easy for a student to get to, thus eliminating any awkwardness as couples attempt to get to the location of their date, with or without a car of their own.

Even for couples who are in a more serious relationship, the School of Music offers a great chance to get away from the hustle of Las Vegas and even student life to enjoy beautiful music for a low price. It’s a great chance to take advantage of student benefits together, and spend a pleasant evening next to someone important in your life.

It’s no secret that, compared to sports or science-focused academics, the arts are chronically underserved in academia. Programs at secondary and university-level institutions continue to be cut. In part, the lack of reliable support for the arts across the country can be attributed to the lack of money and support these programs draw when compared with the support more profitable athletic or academic programs receive. For those who care about supporting artistic programs at their university, checking out performances at the School of Music is a great way to show public interest.

Deciding where to spend money can be difficult for young people. Sometimes it comes down to making purchases at the cheapest or most fun businesses and locations. But when students buy a ticket to attend School of Music performances, they can feel good knowing that they are spending their money not only at the institution they attend, but in a program that genuinely deserves their support. Buying a ticket to a show put on by the School of Music is a far better investment than buying a beer at a random bar, or seeing an expensive professional concert that is bringing in a lot of money already.

By going to School of Music performances, students also get to support their friends and professors. Performances put on by the school feature students and faculty, so attending their shows is a great way to show your support for the talented performers in your life in a social setting. They’ll be glad to have friendly faces in the audience.

When taking a partner on a date, making sure that the activity suits both of your interests is important. You should try to find something to do that will allow both of you to bond, have a good time, and discuss the things that are most interesting to you as individuals. Taking your partner to see a film genre that they hate or going to a restaurant that serves a cuisine they don’t care for will make it that much harder to get a second date.

Not everyone likes the same type of music. But with the 150 different performances each year, the School of Music has something for everyone. Just this Fall, they have several different musical style offerings, ranging from jazz to chamber choir. UNLV will even feature a performance by the Horszowski Trio (Jesse Mills, violin; Ole Akahoshi, cello; Rieko Aizawa, piano), which The New York Times described as  “lithe, persuasive.” With such a wide range and scope of talent offered through the School of Music, every couple will be able to find a performance to attend that they both enjoy.

For those who enjoy theater, the School of Music’s opera programs will be sure to delight. The school will present “The Turn of the Screw,” “The Stronger,” and “Roman Fever” this fall. Based on works by great authors, such as Edith Wharton and Henry James, the operas combine musical excellence with fascinating storytelling. 

Saving money and staying close to home is appealing for anyone going on a date, but this is especially true for college students. For those attending UNLV, attending performances by the School of Music gives students a fun and affordable way to go out and support their school at the same time. 

Music inspires deep emotions. For couples checking out UNLV’s performances, it may even inspire romance.