Put your hands up (in the forever-iconic words of Beyoncé) if you’re going to be single this Valentine’s Day! If you’re anything like me, you tend to dread and maybe even detest the holiday. It’s not always easy to be single on a holiday that celebrates romantic love.
Just because you don’t have a significant other to cuddle up with doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate a holiday that honors love. Sure, romantic love can be great, but love for friends, family, and yourself is just as important. If you’re single this Valentine’s Day, try to celebrate yourself. Here are some fun things you can do this Valentine’s Day – no S.O. required.
Celebrate Galentine’s Day with your best friends! If you’re single and you have a bunch of (single or otherwise) friends, then Galentine’s Day is always a great option. Go out to dinner and watch a movie, or stay in, eat pizza, and binge-watch your favorite Netflix shows together. You’re not just celebrating yourself and your friends, but the love you have for each other.
Have a movie marathon featuring your celebrity crush. Some people love Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling or Channing Tatum. If you’re like me, you have a thing for superheroes – more specifically, Chris Evans. You might curl up in bed or on the couch and watch “Titanic” and “The Great Gatsby,” or “The Notebook,” or maybe even the Magic Mike movies. Me? I’ll be watching all of the Captain America and Avengers films.
One of the most obvious things to do: treat yourself! The “treat yourself” mindset has taken a toll on a lot of people’s bank accounts (myself included), so you shouldn’t go overboard, but a minor splurge will definitely be worth it. Have you had your eye on a new top or a pair of shoes? Maybe you’ve been wanting to get your hair or nails done. Buy or do something you’ve been wanting for a while; it’ll be like a Valentine’s gift to yourself!
Take care of yourself. Some holidays can be really rough for some people. If Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that puts you down in the dumps, take the day to pick yourself up. Self-care is one of the most important ways to protect your mental health. Unplug from social media, pick up a journal and start writing, listen to music that calms you, take a nap or read a good book. Do what you need to do to make yourself feel better and develop a better mindset.
Celebrate “Anti-Valentine’s Day.” Have you ever seen the movie “Valentine’s Day”? The one with the huge, spectacular cast that includes Taylor Swift, Ashton Kutcher, Bradley Cooper, and so on? If you haven’t, you really should. After you do, if you’re the kind of person that genuinely hates the holiday, you could take a page out of Jessica Biel’s character Kara Monahan’s book and throw an “Anti-Valentine’s Day” party. Ignore anything pink, red, and/or covered in hearts, go out, and surround yourself with people who share your feelings and think the holiday is just as cheesy as you do.
No matter how you feel about Valentine’s Day, don’t forget that love doesn’t only mean romance. Your love for your friends, family, and, most importantly, yourself are just as good, if not better, than romantic love. So surround yourself with your loved ones or spend the day treating and taking care of yourself. Happy Valentine’s Day, SRU!
