Surviving A Long-Distance Valentine's Day

Whether your valentine is studying abroad in the Guatemalan jungle or transportation is simply too expensive, you’re left alone on the most romantic day of the year, as you’ve probably heard about 5000 times by now.

When asked what your Valentine’s Day plans are, you have many options, of which you have probably already given most of them. You can play the naïve romantic card and say that he’s going to surprise you. Never mind that you really mean when the Skype ring sounds will be a surprise. You might go the pessimistic route and say it’s-just-a-stupid-holiday-invented-by-the-card-companies-anyway. Or you might answer honestly that you’ll unfortunately be apart…and then comes the “aw that sucks.”

Regardless of how convincing and sincere your answer might sound to others, you still feel like you got sucker-punched. Maybe after awhile you’ll start getting a little more aggressive in your responses: “Actually, I’ll be spending my Valentine’s Day alone with a box of chocolate I bought, sobbing to whatever Lifetime movie happens to on, thanks.”

Even right now you’re probably thinking, well this article isn’t helping any. So let me get to my point.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be an endless reminder of being quasi-alone. Here are some positives that may not have crossed your mind amid all that self-pitying (admit it, you totally were):

-Setting the world record for consecutive days without shaving? Who cares!

-Go ahead; it’s your privilege to be so cheesy that it’s well beyond the point of embarrassment.

-This is the only time of year that PDA is socially acceptable. The point of going to dinner is to eat, not witness tongues so far down throats it has to be an illusion. Like the Jersey Shore, you have to keep watching despite how repulsive it really is. You get to avoid this PDA overload.

-Send a snail-mail letter that expresses how you really feel. “Even if I counted every star in the sky, it wouldn’t amount to how much I love you.” Don’t worry, nothing is off limits and no embarrassment is attached.

-Ordering pizza or Chinese food is a major Valentine’s no-no. Luckily, you don’t have to feel guilty about the costly dinner bill (or help pay for it).

-So maybe you’re not together physically, but at least you have a Valentine. Let’s be brutally honest for a second that is more than most of your friends can say. So go ahead and tell your sweetie “I love you” (if you’ve reached that point), and you’ll remember how lucky you actually are.

If you’re still not feeling much better about your long-distance Valentine’s Day, try out these easy tips:

-Pick out a movie. Keep in mind that Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to insist on a chick flick. Talk either on Skype or on the phone, count down so you start at the same time and stay on the line throughout the movie. (If you plan ahead, mail him popcorn and his favorite candy that he usually gets at the movies.)

-Make a list of all the things you’d be doing if you were together (naughty or nice) and read it to him. Mind over matter, girls!

-Who says you can’t still share a romantic dinner together? Cook up the same meal and eat together with your webcam up. Bonus: He can’t sneak any food off your plate.

-Have him send you a t-shirt of his sprayed with his cologne. Sleep with it that night and it’ll (almost) be like he’s there with you.

Valentine’s Day is what you make of it, so stop pouting and start remembering that you’d rather have a valentine to miss than no valentine at all.