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Alone on Valentine’s Day? Don’t Sulk – Celebrate!

It’s Valentine’s Day and you’re alone…that doesn’t mean you need to spend all night in your PJs watching “The Notebook” until you run out of tears! It means you should celebrate the most important relationship in your life – the one you have with yourself, because if you don’t love you, how can anyone else love you for the amazing, wonderful, and loving person you are? This is my second Valentine’s Day alone, and I have to say it’s a weird feeling. I was in a serious relationship until last January when I finally decided I needed to respect myself more and not allow anyone to simply take me for granted. That was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, except that it left me alone on the most “wonderful” holiday of the year–Valentine’s Day. In high school I’d spend Valentine’s Day with girlfriends celebrating with cupcakes, peanut M&Ms, adorable movies, and new gym classes. We valued the time we had together because we didn’t know any better–back then 14-year-olds didn’t really have “boyfriends” we simply went out in groups and that was that.

After I got into a relationship in college, I expected Valentine’s Day to be this big romantic affair, complete with Tiffany’s, roses and chocolates, but instead I got a few crappy cards, had to cook dinner for someone, and then had to deal with complaints when my dorm kitchen couldn’t handle the amazing steak I had picked out for dinner. Needless to say I learned two things from the two Valentine’s Days I spent in a relationship – 1) My ex was THE WORST boyfriend ever and 2) Love yourself first and then you will find someone worthy of you.

Okay so that may sound a little obnoxious, but it’s not supposed to be. Loving you and cherishing your amazing qualities allows others to do the same and so if you happen to find yourself single this Valentine’s Day follow these few tips to have a great, happy day celebrating you!

If you’re a gal:

1. Get all dolled up and go out! Many restaurants will be having Valentine’s Day specials and there’s nothing that says you can’t go out to dinner with the girls and simply enjoy this amazing time in your life. You are in college; there aren’t many more times in your life when you will be this “free” again – there aren’t any responsibilities holding you back and you most definitely are not tied down, so celebrate that fact with a wonderful stress-free dinner out with your friends.

2. Go to the movies, but don’t pick a chick flick – go see “Avatar” or some other action-packed flick with some friends to keep your mind off the “love-y dove-y” aspect of the day. Just because everyone else suddenly thinks movies like “The Notebook” are cinematic masterpieces, doesn’t mean you have to too.

3. Treat yourself to a spa-day – Lifebooker has some great deals for Valentine’s Day couples massages, and I’m sure many of those salons are offering other spa packages for the day/weekend of Valentine’s Day. Think about taking advantage of the deals and pampering yourself.

4. Throw a Single’s Valentine’s Day Party – If a bunch of your friends happen to be single, which let’s face it many people don’t want the commitment in college, gather everyone together for a huge blowout. Who knows, by the end of the night you may not be so single after all!

5. Retail Therapy – For me, shopping cures any and all ailments and thus if you do find yourself a little down on the big day, take advantage of the deals many of the stores will be having. You don’t have to buy lingerie to feel sexy and secure in yourself – buy a great pair of PJs at Victoria’s Secret and vow to spend the entire Valentine’s Day in bed watching TV or reading your favorite book. Or at least spend the morning in bed, because if you’re like me, you are going to want to have plenty of time to get ready for number 4.

For the guys:

1. Have a Valentine’s Day Single’s Get Together- It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant; just get some chips, beer and set up a beer pong roster and have a great night. It’s important to simply be with other people to keep your mind off being sad or unsure. Because hey, I get it, guys get sad too and there’s nothing like a party to liven things up!

2. Spend the entire night doing whatever it is you like– my brother suggested playing Call of Duty on his X-Box, but for you it may be something different. Most importantly make it something you haven’t had the time to do when you were in a relationship, or better yet, something your ex wouldn’t “let” you do.

3. Try taking a single female friend out on a date. I read about this on Associated Content, and think it might be the best suggestion yet! It would be nice to have someone to spend time with– even if it isn’t romantic, because you never know what could happen!

4. Take all the money you think you would have spent on gifts and buy something for yourself. It’s similar to retail therapy for women, but I’m not exactly sure what would be your splurge gift. Buy something you want, something you couldn’t have had with an ex, or simply something you’ve been waiting for.

5. Go on Vacation – This year Valentine’s Day happens to be on a Sunday, so head over to a freind’s university to see what his idea of being single on Valentine’s Day is and perhaps you might even find someone new to spend next Valentine’s Day with at his or her University.

Whatever you do on Valentine’s Day, be sure to celebrate the fact that you are single and that you are amazing and that, yes, one day you won’t be single and you will have someone very special to share it with. But for now be content to spend it with a few good friends, a few great movies and lots of chocolate.