The Apocalypse for Singles: Survival Tips for Valentine’s Day

Students have somehow always been involved in celebrating Valentine’s Day, whether they were giving candy to crushes or asking out their lab partner in middle school.

Now, as a college student, you maybe be sitting in your room dreading Feb. 14.

I want you to know you’re not alone. For all the people who don’t have a date, or rather have a date with Netflix and homework, don’t sweat it. If you’re single this year, here are eight ways to avoid feeling down on Valentine’s Day.

1. Embrace the Simplicity of Singlehood

Does a potential date have the same taste as you in food? What if they hate the movie you pick? What about an outfit? What is if it rains or snows?

As a single person, you have none of the messy planning to stress about. You are worry-free on a day where many people are feeling pressure to craft a perfect evening for a special someone.

Plus, think about all the money you’re saving. For a day that celebrates love and sensuality, it certainly fixates a lot on the masochism of excessive spending Can you feel the stress lifting from your shoulders yet?

2. Google Your Valentine

Unlike the days of yore when receiving a card meant human interaction, now all you have to do is google “romantic Valentine’s Day cards” to feel the love; the Tumblr ones in particular will bring you joy. With the help of Google, you don’t have to actually send Valentine’s cards to anyone.

Even though the cute little notes were popular thing in elementary school, could you imagine having to send a Valentine to anyone in college? Adults are expected to communicate their feelings clearly, so a hand-written love letter might be more effective than meme Valentine’s cards. So, if you happen to be single, you are exempt from the prose writing.

3. Spoil Yourself

You cannot spend the whole twenty-four hours feeling bad about yourself simply because you’re single. You are a whole being; you don’t need another person to complete you, so spoil away:order some take-out, use a bath bomb for the first time, buy yourself some coffee.

Most of all, go easy on yourself. The money you could be spending on someone else, spend on a sweater you’ve been eyeing or on an HBO subscription.

4. Repress Your Jealousy

It will make your day vastly better if you avoid comparing your life to someone else’s, as jealousy will only make you miserable.

“But Becky received roses and Lisa got engaged,” you might be tempted to complain. Okay, but you got nine hours of sleep, so who’s the real winner here?

And, who’s to say that being in a relationship like Lisa’s is right for you? I once got flowers, a gift and a confession on Valentine’s Day, but was I happy? No, I went home and felt miserable, because I could not possibly talk to the person. But still, my friends told me they were jealous. Of what? My misery? Things are not at all what people make them out to be, so remember that if you happen to feel jealous.

5. Avoid Social Media

Everyone knows someone who is beyond spoiled by their partner, so it is critical to stay off social media or your envy will be uncontainable, as will definitely be a lot of bragging, pictures and posts about everyone’s “magical” evenings.

If your curiosity overwhelms you and you end up on social media anyway, remember, none of the events of today will feel relevant in a week. It’s just one day. Breathe.

6. Chocolate Overload

If you make it to Feb. 15, I can almost guarantee that every store will have discounted chocolate, so buy some for your roommate, yourself and your friends.

Ignore the pink and red wrappings; you won’t care about them in two months when you still have a whole bag of chocolate, and everyone else in class is eyeing you. Chocolate is power.

7. Do Not Cave

Do you really want a relationship? Or do you just want to not be alone? Sure, relationships are beautiful, and in some cases long-lasting. But relationships are work; they are time consuming, and they are commitment, especially if your goal is marriage.

Arguments, misunderstandings and disagreements on a daily basis are stressful, so before you get jealous of your married friends or people in relationships, think, do you really want a relationship, or do you just not want to feel lonely?

8. Change Your Perspective

In the end, you are the one who decides how much importance you put into twenty-four hours. Personally, I’ve had some bad days and I’ve had some good ones, and not all the good ones coincide with having a date on February 14. Trust me, you will survive.