It’s Valentine’s Day. For many, it’s a time for love, romance, and ‘couple goals’, but for others, it’s the worst time of year. You may be someone who cannot stand the thought of Valentine’s Day and avoid hitting Exeter City Centre at all costs due to the bombardment of teddy bears, chocolates and roses.
As a single girl, I always dread this time of year. All of my friends are in long-term relationships, and here I am, simply waiting for a text back. It’s a bit tragic. So, I thought I would share my coping mechanisms on ‘How to Survive Valentine’s Day’ as a single girl. With a little bit of preparation, some strategic distractions and a lot of wine, you, too, can make it through V-Day.
Avoid all social media
This is a MUST for all the singletons out there. Avoid. Social. Media. Especially Instagram. There is nothing worse than already feeling sorry for yourself, then opening your phone to see your friend waking up to a sea of roses and a life-size teddy bear. Do yourself a favour and delete the apps for the day. There’s no point wasting your day aggressively “liking” every post while repeating “I’m so happy for them” through gritted teeth. Instead, take a walk outside. Check in with yourself. It’s only one day. Go reconnect with nature rather than scrolling endlessly on Hinge.
Be a bit cynical
Not to bring the vibes down, but it’s okay to be a bit negative on this day and become a true hater. You know that Valentine’s Day is a ridiculous concept that causes couples to splash the cash and get each other gifts that they really don’t need (like, who really needs heart-shaped roses scattered all over the house?). If you need reassurance, just remember that at least 50% of those couples are going to break up before the year is over. That’s got to bring you some peace, right?
extra self care
You keep saying you’re going to unwind, relax and have a day to yourself but when is the last time you’ve truly done that? Valentine’s Day, as a single person, is the perfect excuse to have a full-blown self-care day. Order yourself a meal on Deliveroo. Re-watch Bridget Jones’ Diary for the 50th time. Buy yourself flowers, chocolates and roses. You deserve love too! Nothing screams love like self-love… and a brand new coffee machine for you to use.
gather up your fellow singletons
Why not turn your Valentine’s Day into a GALentine’s Day? Call up your other single friends and have a Anti-Valentine gathering. Get together, do a face mask, watch cringey rom-coms, eat some snacks, drink some wine, paint your nails and let a bit loose. Nothing can ever beat the power of female friendships. Bonus points if someone brings a voodoo doll labelled with their Ex’s name…for comedic purposes, of course.
cocktail night
Following on from gathering up your single gal pals, have a few cocktails, a glass (or a bottle) of wine and just have a fun night out! As Valentines Day falls on a Friday this year, you can always hit TimePiece for a cheeky Sketch Friday. I say, the best way to survive this year’s Valentine’s Day is to simply get a bit feral and make some drunken mistakes. Who knows, you might end up finding your own Valentine on the dance floor.
if all else fails, hibernate
Sometimes, the only way to deal with Valentine’s Day is to pretend it does not exist. It’s simply another day in the calendar. It’s another Friday. Get your blankets, choose your favourite Netflix show and rest until the cursed day is over. Just be sure to resurface on February 15th to get all of that half-priced chocolate and sweets.