Love is a lot like a box of chocolates. They both make me happier than anything. However, it is not just the box or vague term “love” that makes me happy, it’s what fills them both that counts. Each piece inside is unique and special in it’s own sweet way.
Love comes in all sorts of forms, and we may not always recognize its presence. But single or not, Valentine’s Day forces us to pay extra attention to all of the different kinds of love present in our lives. So, for all the happy couples, happy singles and happy curmudgeons among us, here’s a few different things you should remember to love.
Netflix
This blessed creation has graced most college students’ lives, relieving their academic stress while providing endless amounts of entertainment and joy. Netflix does not discriminate between single or taken, it welcomes all audiences to follow popular shows (like Parks and Rec) and to maybe even fall in love with these shows (like Parks and Rec).
Friends
They’re like Netflix characters, but in real life. Friendships grow and flourish all around campus everyday. They’re the people who remind you to love yourself. If they’re really good friends, they’ll be there for you even when everything else goes wrong. Friendships are also a major component of long-lasting relationships. They can be platonic or romantic, and sometimes both in an alternating fashion. These should be people that enjoy you without any strings, so spend the Valentine’s weekend appreciating the people that have been there for you without romance attached, because deep down inside that’s love too.
Dogs
These furry, fluffy delights embody joy most people can only dream of. There was once a German shepherd that spent six years at his old owner’s grave out of sheer loyalty. That’s love. If we could be the person our dogs saw us as, we’d be unstoppable. Sometimes love is your furry friend showering you with affection until you become worthy enough for their commitment. Also, dogs are arguably the best cuddlers around.
Family
They may be annoying, REALLY annoying sometimes, however, these are the people you love because you’ve helped each other grow up in so many ways. They may also be the people that have stuck with you longer than any S.O. ever have or could. Families are not necessarily the people you share blood with. As we are fitting into our adult roles more and more, family becomes more of a choice than a requirement. There’s a Father’s Day and a Mother’s Day, but no Family Day, so maybe this day of love can be shared loving parents, siblings and all other relations that have seen you on your journey this far.
College
College is this bubble that typically young, smart and curious minds gravitates towards, creating this environment with many similar people. For everyone it’s not perfect but after that college graduation, you will have walked away with more than what you came in with. We chose to come here voluntarily to explore education more, which is why college is the best. It’s not forced, it’s chosen. Love is a choice, you choose it because you enjoy it and it makes you better. Maybe for a day, forgive the debt and stress and love the fact that you have chosen to take this special opportunity to learn.
Hobbies
This may not be the activity that makes you money, but it is the activity that makes you happy. Hobbies are activities voluntarily taken on solely for the fact that they make us happy. It doesn’t get more genuine than that. If it’s a hobby you really love, doing it will free you from feeling lonely or negative. It can put a smile on your face, and you have the power to put that smile on every time you choose to do that activity.
Yourself
You are the only person you’re guaranteed to spend your whole life with. By your twenties, your thoughts have been developing for so long it’s like there’s another version of yourself within you. Sometimes it’s the person you’re afraid of being and sometimes it’s the person you want to be. YOU can actually look at something you’ve done and decided to hate it or love it even after you made the action. We want to look at ourselves through an objective lens; it allows us to see room for improvement. Thoughts become negative when that critique becomes deconstructive and you end up tearing yourself down. Think about the person you want to be and realize that you can become that. Go you! Take yourself out to a nice dinner this Valentine’s Day. You deserve it.