The data is in: 69% of Georgetown students are planning on proposing to one another this Valentine’s Day. If you find yourself among this sizable crew, we at Halftime urge you to forego the passé proposal spots of yesteryear (Dahlgren quad, the waterfront, the jumbotron at Cap One). To help you lovebirds out, we—the Georgetown community’s foremost experts on all things love and romance—compiled a list of the most special and memorable alternative locations. There’s truly a perfect place for every couple, so keep reading to find out where you can usher in the first day of your (married) life.
ICC Galleria
Who among us wouldn’t spring at the chance to get engaged in the presence of current and aspiring foreign dignitaries? If you love the bustling atmosphere of students and faculty cramming before their next lecture and fancy a frantic run-in with your class crush from that sophomore spring seminar (savor that last longing look before you resign yourself to a lifetime with your boo!), the ICC Galleria is the place for you. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi to popping the question in a place called the Galleria. Like, is that even a real word? Did Jack the Bulldog make it up in a fever dream? There’s no knowing for sure, but what we can assure you is that it’ll look mighty official when you name-drop it on the “Our Story” page of your wedding website.
Blank Street Coffee
If your loved one is a Type-A overachiever with an extensively color-coded GCal and no time for a romantic outing, consider a proposal at Blank Street. The soundtrack: Spotify’s “my life is a movie” playlist. The vibes: nonexistent, sterile, ChatGPT-generated, etc. The onlookers: a legion of Clean Girls decked out in claw clips and state-of-the-art athleisure. Bonus: you’ll have tons of privacy, since the baristas are typically nowhere to be found and all the girlies will have their noise-canceling AirPods Max on. Send your significant other a GCal invite for a coffee chat, but make sure you get on it about three weeks in advance—their schedule fills up quickly. Whenever the moment feels right, kindly ask your date to set down the JUPS reading they’ve been painstakingly annotating for the past four hours, and pop the big question!
Call Your Mother on a Saturday
Nothing tests a relationship like fighting through the diabolically hungover crowd at the perpetually-cramped and on-the-verge-of-going-up-in-flames establishment that is CYM on a Saturday morning, only to find that your partner’s Royal Palm has left them with an ick-inducing poppy seed stuck between their teeth. But if you make it through this most awkward, arduous of tasks, you can win the ultimate prize: an engagement in front of a building that can only be described as Pepto-core. No need to book a photographer—at any given moment, dozens of amateur (micro)influencers will have snapped plenty of pictures for you (you’ll have to add your own VSCO A6 filter, though).
The couches in Midnight MUG
Let’s be real: those couches have definitely seen their fair share of … romantic action. Shove aside dismembered, weeks-old copies of this campus’s most esteemed newsmagazine, slide into that worrying couch crater, and seal the deal in this inexplicably dark and sweaty corner of Georgetown’s most famous eyesore. True love really is forever, so make sure your proposal will live on by giving The Corp Valentine’s Day marketing materials for decades to come.
MSBreakout room
A wise woman once told us that true power couples are born in pressure cookers—and nothing says pressure like “studying” for finance midterms in these fabulous glass chambers. Honestly, as proud College members, we were too afraid to fact-check this, but during this season of love, we’re feeling adventurous. Besides, isn’t fear the best part of a proposal after all? So, dazzle your girlboss with tales of bitcoin and bull markets before you offer her a 50% stake in the offer of a lifetime. The valuation of this magic moment? Priceless.
Southwest Quad sand pit
We know, we know. The beach proposal is the oldest trick in the book. But something tells us that your lover will be totally caught by surprise (and maybe a stray spike) at this can’t-miss spot. If you weren’t sold yet, this proposal is also a package set! In exchange for the free promotion, Georgetown’s burgeoning beach volleyball team will (probably) happily serve as your bridal party. Even if you have a winter wedding, they’ll be inexplicably shirtless, but maybe that’s just the bump you need to set your marriage up for success.
Yates sauna
Ooh, it’s getting hot in here. Like, distressingly hot. Feel the toxins ooze out of every orifice, making you pure in the eyes of God and Yates himself. So what if the sauna isn’t up to code? By pushing your bodies to the extremes in this veritable kiln, you and pookie will emerge from Yates Field House like phoenixes from the ashes, your love sweaty and solidified. Gym rats will gaze on with envy, inspired by your physical and romantic fortitude.
The Bermuda Triangle of rats between Copley, White Gravenor, and the Red Square trash cans on a Wednesday after Farmers Market
It’s natural to want to involve your furry friends in one of the biggest days of your life, but why limit yourself to domesticated pets? Make your special day one to remember by including the dozens of fearless rats that call Red Square home. There’s absolutely nothing more romantic than getting down on one knee amid half-eaten Yoga-In-A-Bowls, haphazardly strewn crepe wrappers, and first-years trying to sneak out of Copley without waking up their emotionally unavailable situationships (could never be you). Bask in the glow of Red Square’s flickering fluorescent lamps, and enjoy the various scurrying/rustling sounds of the rats as they celebrate your love. And for a mere $5,000 per hour, the Voice’s benevolent/masochistic overlord Gossip Rat will officiate.
Leo’s Truck
If you’re after a rustic vibe for your proposal, you might think such a venue would be hard to find among Georgetown’s hallowed halls and historic lanes. But I encourage you to think again: look no further than the Upstairs Leo’s Truck to serve as the backdrop for your big question. You can find this quaint and charming vehicle parked between Launch and Sazon, where it remains mostly unoccupied unless Leo’s is packed to the gills and there isn’t a single available table anywhere else in the building. Look forward to rickety stools, scenic views of the shirtless Jesuit community playing badminton outside Wolfington Hall, and food poisoning that’ll have you and your boo out of commission for the next 6-8 business days (the perfect opportunity to get started on planning that wedding!).
Walsh stairwell
We polled all of the leading wedding industry insiders, and one common thread emerged: the rise of the Destination Proposal. Yes, you heard that right—in 2024, more and more couples are wondering why they have to wait until their wedding to jet off to an exciting warm-weather locale. At Georgetown, you can hop on the trend by popping the question in the Walsh staircase. Its East Campus location brings an exotic flair to the occasion that your partner is sure to love, and the year-round muggy climate is reminiscent of the world’s most sought-after tropical destinations. “Are we in Bali?” your loved one will exclaim as their face grows flushed and they rush to briskly peel off their jacket and sweater. Smile big as you proudly reply, “no, my love. It’s even better: Walsh.”
