Sarah Irby, Editor in Chief~
Ah, Valentine’s Day. Love is in the air. It makes me sick. Really, Feb. 14 is just a commercialized holiday for couples to show just how “in love” they are. What’s the point? Flowers die, and I don’t even really like chocolate. Nor am I interested in bearing witness to any sort of ooey-gooey public displays of affection. I guess I just like to avoid the dazed people walking around with stars in their eyes and hearts popping out of their chest. So, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I prefer being single. Even on Valentine’s Day. But you may be wondering what you can do as a single person on this day of love, other than mope around eating a tub of ice cream and envying all those cutesy couples you see on your Instagram. Well:
For starters, you could throw an Anti-Valentine’s Day party, which is exactly what I’m doing. If you want to be really rebellious, you can hand out black roses and bake conversation heart cookies that say things like “you suck” instead of “I love you.” Personally, I’m going the jello shots and Cards Against Humanity route, but there’s lots of room for creativity with your VDay-bashing.
There’s always the Galentine’s option as well. Of course, it doesn’t have to be the brunch and booze version that Leslie Knope created on Parks and Recreation. It can simply be a time to hang out with your girls, celebrating their friendship and doing things you enjoy. Friendships are some of the most important relationships you can have aside from a romantic relationship, so why not show them the love they deserve?
Or treat yourself! Take yourself out to dinner, on a shopping spree, to a spa or even to the movies. Who says you have to have someone else around to enjoy a good time? Don’t rely on others for your satisfaction, when you’re perfectly capable of making yourself happy. Some alone time could be just what the doctor ordered, and what you choose to spend that time doing is entirely up to you.
If you’re really craving some human companionship on the day of love, there’s always other options that don’t require you to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Find a friend, of the opposite sex (or not, if that’s what you like), to go out on the town and take advantage of couple’s deals, go to a bar in search of meeting someone new or just have a plain, old-fashioned hookup. Why not? All those couples out there are limited to one another in the bedroom (unless they’re into some freaky business), but there’s nothing holding you back. Do what makes you happy and what makes you feel good, as long as you’re not acting blindly due to a fit of envy.
Whether you choose to spend your Valentine’s Day with friends or alone, I just beg that you don’t stumble around crying about your singleness and complaining on Facebook about all the cute things you aren’t getting because no one loves you. As much as I don’t want my newsfeed splattered with all the couples’ gushy love stories, I really don’t want to see all the singles whining. Take your singledom in stride; it really isn’t that big of a deal. As cliche as it may sound, I’m going to say it anyway – you’ll find love when it’s right for you (unfortunately, that’s probably not going to be on Valentine’s Day). But, it’s a Hallmark holiday, not the end of the world.