A Single’s Guide to Valentines

Each year February 14th comes around and your timeline is inevitably filled with couple after couple showering each other with flowers, chocolates, cocktails and fancy dinners in lovey dovey instagram posts. And for those of us who are single, this minefield can be pretty hard to navigate without feeling a little lonely. So instead of tucking into your third tub of self-pity ice cream or crying in the shower to Frank Ocean, why not give some of these alternatives a try this year?

Cook yourself a meal. Maybe there’s a recipe you’ve been dying to try, be that a humble stir fry or a luxuriously tender steak. Whatever culinary treats might be in store make sure there are no expenses spared, absolutely all the trimmings included, because who else deserves to be treated with your hard earned money if not you?

Treat yourself to a pamper session. Draw yourself a candle lit bath, don't skimp on the bubbles and make sure to complete all 13 completely-neccesary-and-not-at-all-excessive steps of your skincare routine. Or if that’s not quite your style go crazy on the 6 in 1, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, shaving foam and moisturiser, whilst the feel good tunes are blasting. Whatever bubbles your bath!

Have a regular day. Wake up, brush your teeth, eat breakfast, have a shower, get dressed, take the dog for a walk ect. ect. Valentine’s Day is just another day (literally, it was only ever linked to the idea of romantic love thanks to Chaucer) so just go on about your daily life. After all, are you really going to let some poet from the Middle Ages ruin your day?

Get those endorphins flowing with something physical. Sometimes Valentine's day is tough not because of loneliness, but because of the past. So if it's built up anger towards an ex that’s getting you down, then getting the blood pumping with Zumba, boxercise, or my personal favourite, axe throwing, might just be the day out you've been waiting for. Unravel all that stress and let loose on the bullseye, and if it doesn’t dissolve your anger then at least it’ll distract you with a good time for a few hours.

Throw a Palentines Day. Now technically this falls on February 13th but screw it, make your own rules. If you feel like getting in on the love and celebrating your gals and guys then go all in. Buy your bestie a bunch of flowers, get your Tiger Woods on at mini golf, treat yourselves to some fine dining, take a trip to the cinema (Sing 2; unironically, a masterpiece), get dressed up and sip some overpriced alcohol, these activities aren’t off limits simply on account of the fact that you're single.

Whatever it is you decide to do on the dreaded February 14th, be kind to yourself. Your worth is not dependent on having a significant other, and neither should your happiness. And always remember, just because you may not be the recipient of romantic love this year doesn’t mean you aren’t loved <3