Of all the date suggestions we have given you over the past year, this one may seem the most unexciting – but it doesn’t have to be! Maybe you spent the better part of twenty years in school, and now you’re thinking, “I’m ready to have fun! I’m done with sitting in classes! I want to live now!”
Good! You should be ready to live – and taking classes with your sweetie can help you achieve the life you want!
In our formal education, we were fed a lot of facts and formulas, but now you are in the driver’s seat. You get to choose what you will learn. And, if you find the class you’re taking is not a good fit for you and your sweetie, no problem! Your transcript will not be harmed. ~smile~
What Do You Want to Know?
“I know the basics of cooking, but I’d love to learn more techniques and become comfortable hosting my own dinner parties!”
“If my car ever brakes down on the side of the road, I will be in big trouble. I should know the basics of car mechanics.”
“Something about a fresh piece of wood has always inspired me to create. I want to learn how to whittle beautiful art.”
“How great would it be to communicate with the deaf community?! I want to know how to speak with my hands!”
Brainstorm a list of twenty to thirty skills you would like to develop. (Remember, in brainstorming, you are not critiquing the ideas, you are just writing all that comes to mind.) Once you are done brainstorming and have your list, then evaluate and pick your top ten.
Have your sweetie do the same. Do any of your top ten overlap? If so, look for classes which teach those subjects and/or skills. If there are not classes available, see if you can find someone with those particular skills who would be willing to share his or her knowledge with you. You may even see if there is an electronic course you can take over the Internet.
The Couple that Learns Together…
Though the idea of going to school together may not sound as exciting as white water rafting down the Colorado River, it can be a fun and bonding experience. Learning the skill is only the first step. After you spend your time in class, you and your sweetie get to practice what you’ve learned together. That’s more quality time! Plus, you will both have a new skill in common which most other people do not. You can be the couple who cooks gourmet meals together, or speaks two languages, or paints beautiful portraits!
The more you study together, the more you will know. The more knowledge you have in common, the more opportunities you will have to connect and re-connect.
The Knowledge-Building Date
Hopefully, you can find evening classes which are offered once a week. If you can, you have an automatic date night! And, you won’t end up squandering your time together. It will be an evening well spent!
Depending on your schedule, try to enjoy some down time before or after class. If your class does not get out too late, go somewhere afterwards to talk and unwind – maybe a quick dinner or cup of coffee. Skill-building dates are great, but you will also want to enjoy some one-on-one down time as well.
Another day each week, get together to practice or discuss what you’ve learned. If you are taking a sign language class, take opportunities to communicate via sign language. If you are taking a cooking class, plan a weekend menu and put those new skills into practice!
You can think of many excuses to hang out when you are helping each other master a skill!
So, what do you and your sweetie want to learn? You spent years in school studying what someone else told you to study. Now it’s your turn to pick and choose what you want to learn.
Expand your minds. Expand your horizons. Expand your connection!
What are a few skills you and your sweetie want to develop together?