5 Reasons Not to Stress About Being Single on Valentine’s Day
As we prepare to wrap up January, there's one particular thing that seems to be looming right around the corner: Valentine's Day.
Every Feb. 14, our culture loves to celebrate love—or at least, the commodified, easily sellable version of it, anyway. This focus on all things couple-y can feel especially hard for those of us who are, well, not part of a couple. But here's the thing, there's absolutely no need to stress about being single, especially on Valentine's Day! Here are a few reasons why:
1. Because It's Better to Focus on Yourself Than Settle
If you've been on TikTok practically at all in the last year, you've likely come across a video (or a hundred) featuring a sound that goes "I don't chase, I attract." Whether you practice this phrase as an affirmation or not, the sentiment of it still stands. When you chase something (in this case, a relationship) until you get it, it's likely that it isn't actually meant for you in the long run and, in fact, you're really just settling. Realistically, the relationships we're in when we're this young aren't likely to last anyway, so there's no reason to settle for a relationship that isn't truly fulfilling when you could be living your best—and yes, single—life on your own and finding fulfillment in other things that truly make you happy.
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2. Hello Half-Priced Candy
Let's be real, most of us know that the real holiday in mid-February is the 15th—when all the candy goes on clearance. Head to your nearest Target or local store of choice, grab a cart and fill it to your heart's desire with all the heart-shaped chocolate and goodies you want. It's been a tough year (or two), so it's safe to say you've earned it.
3. Because You Still Have Galentine's Day
If you're not already familiar with "Galentine's Day," it's essentially a (made-up) holiday around actual Valentine's Day intended to celebrate the love between you and your closest girl-friends—or "gal pals," as your mom might cringe-ily call them. What you do with your Galentine's celebration is completely up to you, so long as it involves your closest crew and whatever lovey-dovey games, snacks and movies you desire. And no, it doesn't have to take the place of actual Valentine's Day (meaning your coupled-up friends are more than welcome to join in on the fun, too).
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4. Because It's Kind of Overrated Anyway
Let's just be honest, Valentine's Day is certainly no competition for holidays like Halloween, Christmas or even the 4th of July. After all, at least the other ones get you either a day off from school or at least an excuse to dress up whether you're single or not! While society loves to make it seem like V-day is all about love—and in many ways, it is and is still worthy of being enjoyed by those who want to celebrate it—it really kind of is a bit more of a marketing schema to commodify "love" and drive sales. Hey, they didn't mention it in an episode of Emily in Paris (Season 2) for nothing, right?
5. Because Being Single Is Actually Kind of Great
Here's something that doesn't get quite enough attention: Being single is low-key amazing. You can hang out with your friends, enjoy meeting new people, not have to worry about texting someone else regularly and focus on your future, just to name a few solid benefits. Sure, being in a relationship has its upsides, but why can't we just enjoy being on our own? You get to learn who you really are, develop some skills or hobbies and just enjoy your own company (a highly underrated skill). That sounds better than a Valentine's Day date any day.
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In fact, being "the single friend" is so great that we even have a whole post about it! You can read all about what makes this role one to own by clicking HERE.