Last year, I wrote about a blog titled “Annoying things about Valentine’s Day”. This year I decided to counter my disgruntled opinions with something more enlightening (I find it a tad bit ironic how I was in a relationship when I was complaining about V-Day and am now single and am complimenting it).
So February 14 doesn’t have to be as bad as one might think it is. Yes, it’s another day of the year, but it’s also a day to celebrate something you otherwise couldn’t. For example, you could create a yearly V-Day tradition with a friend or two, or do something to celebrate your single status. So here are a few reasons why this day is not as agonizing and pointless as one would think:
Food can be enjoyable
That’s right folks; you can actually enjoy a meal or two…if you reserve a spot! But how hard is it to call a few places up to ask them to save a seat, or two…or three? Plus, a lot of restaurants have an online reservation system (click here for a Calgary-based one); a simple form that should take no more than two minutes. Sure, you actually have to decide on a restaurant, but you could always reserve at a couple of different restaurants to ensure that whatever you, your date or your friends decide to go to, is available!
Plus, there can be some good deals and opportunities to try special things on the menu. Even if these menu items are designed for couples, it is still nice to try new things. Come on, don’t be afraid to indulge yourself!
Valentine’s Day can encourage creativity
Home-made gifts can really suck. But they can also be really, really cool. When you really care about someone (whether it be a family, friend or significant other), then you try your hardest to impress them. Even if they don’t ask for it, a quick Google or Pinterest search will give you a lot of awesome ideas. And even if you’re single, you can try to impress a whole crowd with you neat ideas. Bake cookies, encourage random acts of kindness or inspire strangers! The ideas are endless, and Valentine’s Day is a good excuse to let you be creative.
Ignoring society’s norms and having fun
Like I said, V-Day is supposed to be silly and full of love! Who doesn’t like to spread joy and cheer around? Even though there may be a group of bitter students, you can try cheering them up or just avoiding them altogether. No one forced you to talk to them, anyways. So just spend this holiday with some friends and do your own thing; you can make this day your holiday. Name it “Hearts Day” or “Red and Pink Day” or even “The time of the year where cinnamon candy is on sale!”
Much like how Christmas is different for a variety of people, Valentine’s can be as well.
And those people who make the day even more enjoyable
Bitter or not, seeing happy couples always makes me smile. It’s nice to know that someone is taking advantage of this holiday. Why rain on someone’s parades? No one likes a party pooper, anyways.
So this year, try to do something different. Even though midterms are coming up, taking a break once in a while should not hurt you. Just don’t procrastinate for too long!