Mikhaila Friel
My partner, Scott, and I differ slightly when it comes to our respective definitions of a fun evening.
I'm a homebody who loves curling up with a cup of tea and a good book, and I rarely drink alcohol (I'll sometimes have one or two drinks at social events). Meanwhile, Scott is extroverted and enjoys spending Friday nights at the local pub.
We first met three years ago during the pandemic, so our date nights took place at home for the first couple of months of our relationship. When the world opened up, we realized how different we were when it came to socializing.
I'm not going to lie and say we've never had an argument over our differences — it would probably be strange if we hadn't. But through communication and compromises, we've managed to not let it affect our relationship.
Here's how we make date nights work as opposites.
Scott and I have been on some fantastic dates over the years, from exploring the local necropolis to bouldering as well as catching comedy shows in our home city, Glasgow.
Bust most of the time, a standard date night involves dinner and drinks, either alone or with other couples. Before meeting Scott, I wasn't a regular pub-goer but I was surprised by how much I loved it.
Our city is known for its buzzy nightlife, but you can also find pubs that have a relaxed atmosphere. One of my favorite pubs, Babbity Bowster, has a selection of board games, including chess and Scrabble, which Scott and I often play when we visit. He usually orders a beer for himself, and a cup of tea for me.
Mikhaila Friel/Insider
One mistake we initially made (and let's be honest, sometimes still make) was not communicating what time we planned to leave an event. This is especially important since we live together. Scott often longed to stay out until the early hours of the morning, while I was ready to go to sleep by 11 p.m.
Now, we try our best to compromise on an estimated time to leave before we go out. This might sound odd to some people, but it has made things a lot easier for us and prevented potential conflict.
The other great thing about pubs in Glasgow is the variety of events, from quiz nights to writing workshops and open mic competitions.
I love poetry and live music, and I recently discovered an open mic night for spoken-word artists at a pub in the city's West End.
Scott has gone to a lot of open mic nights with me in the past few months because he knows it's important to me. The fact that it's in a pub is even better, as it's somewhere that he feels comfortable despite the nature of the event being outside of something he would typically sign up for.
After being together for three years, I love that Scott and I are both open to trying new experiences together.
On paper, we probably shouldn't work as a couple because of our differences. But in reality, I'd say it's what makes our relationship rewarding.
