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Still paying off those student loans? These school-affiliated services will let you-and your date-live the high life on the cheap.

Friday Mar 28, 2008.     By K. Tighe

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A friend of mine recently started "dating for her dinner," a practice that horrified me when I first learned of it. "You're two steps from a whore," I told her, channeling the empowered woman inside of me.

Still, I couldn't help but cringe as she regaled me with tales of all the high-brow cuisine that my low dime would never get me. While a wedge of Giordano's finest and a cheap seat at the Village Theatre does make for an affordable date night, there's just so much in Chicago that my freelancer's salary would never buy me. Or would it?

"Surely," I thought to myself, "in this teeming metropolis of fine dining, nightly concerts, a thriving theatre scene and so many institutions of higher learning—wait a second—that's it!" Chicago is overflowing with students, all of them learning how to cook the meals, stage the shows and wield the guitars to delight tomorrow's moneyed masses. But in the meantime, their homework is my hope. I've expanded my Eureka moment into a guide to building the perfect date from local student services.

First thing, relax.
Getting ready for a big date night is usually a matter of primping and polishing, both things that the fine pupils at the Aveda Institute will be happy to help you out with. But for my money, I prefer to spend the dough on pampering that runs a little deeper; a blissful hour at The New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing runs only $33 (if you visit more than once a month, you get a five-spot back). Not to belittle the intricacies of therapeutic touch, but as long as there are hands kneading my shoulders, I don't much care if they're certified yet. As it happens, the students at New School are more thorough than most professional masseuses I've frequented, making this one of the best deals in the city. For an even deeper relaxation experience, let the acupuncture scholars at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine poke some needles in you. They've got the pointy goods to rid you of those nasty cigarette cravings, the urge to hit up the Ben & Jerry's after a bad night, suppression of snoring after a good night, or just the common anxieties that accompany the dating ritual.

Put something in your mouth.
Now that you're all loosened up, it's time to start your date! When it's time to grab a bite (or a tipple, depending on your particular constitution) check out the Dining Room at Kendall College or sign up for a sommelier lesson.

First, the fancy eats: Who needs Alinea when you can catch the next Grant Achatz in his zygote phase? For about 30 bucks, you get to eat someone's homework. Once you get accustomed to paying minor ducats for a multi-coursed meal that's been meticulously crafted just for you, you'll never settle for high-dollar fare churned out of a higher-volume kitchen again.

If you'd prefer to forgo food in favor of some really great vino, there are a couple options: You could contact the Chicago Wine School to tailor an in-home wine tasting for you and your date. Or, the two of you could drop in on the Chopping Block's weekly wine series. Classes held at both locations (Wednesdays at Lincoln Square, Fridays at Merchandise Mart) traverse deeply into wine culture, history and tasting. You can learn about the age-old affair between wine and cheese while noshing on—surprise, surprise—wine and cheese.

Get entertained.
Once your belly's full and your head's spinning, it's time to move on to the next phase of date night: the entertainment. Why settle for a movie when you catch the live act? For an affordable night at the theatre, forget about all the Broadway revivals downtown and see what the drama kids at Loyola University and Columbia College are up to. Both schools churn out batches of great actors every year, hosting dozens of performances along the way. While mainstage productions are usually pretty well advertised, you can also call to find out about getting in to see playwriting showcases, student projects and studio works that you won't see lauded on posters around town.

If you're in the mood for something a little more rockin', skip sweet-talking the scalpers at Uptown venues and get ye to the Old Town School of Folk Music. If you're lucky, you'll stumble upon a student performance; these usually take place at the end of class sessions. Or, if you're even luckier, you'll arrive in time for "Second Half," the interactive rock show that happens every night after the last class wraps up. Bring beer, your guitar and your horrified date to jam in unison with the rock stars of tomorrow.

Hand-eye coordination lost somewhere in that wine from earlier? Eschew the rock 'n' roll lifestyle and head to Second City. The training ground for some of the best comedic minds of all time offers a slew of performances from students of all levels. Laughter is an aphrodisiac—so is all that booze you drank—so you can probably figure out how to spend the remainder of your low-cost date night from here. Bonus? All the money you saved tonight will buy brunch in the morning.