By Rosie Vavasour
As Valentine’s Day approaches, many of us find ourselves seeking a relationship, whether consciously or subconsciously. Perhaps we laugh a little too enthusiastically at that cute guy’s joke, or dance a little too close to him in Timepiece-desperate not to spend this February 14th in front of the TV with only Ben and Jerry for company. Although the prospect of a lonely Valentine’s Day may seem unappealing, spending it alone is better than spending it with the wrong person.
It is too easy in this season of love to get swept up in all the romance and ‘fall for’ the first guy who comes along. The start is great: the first kiss, waiting for his text and getting all dressed up in the hope that he might be out. The trouble is: anyone can be charming at the beginning; it isn’t until later when you might notice his irritating little habits which, although they may have seemed cute at first, get on your nerves after a while.
A friend of mine experienced this last year. She was told by a mutual friend that a guy in her halls was really into her and wanted to take her out. She didn’t know the boy very well but thought that she may as well give him a chance. They got on well and began to spend a lot of time together. She had recently broken up with a long term boyfriend and was craving the feelings you get when you are in love. She was waiting for the sparks to fly and those little butterflies in her stomach when she saw him but they never really came. She felt that having something was better than nothing, so threw herself into a relationship before she really knew him. A few weeks in, her doubts really started to kick in and she noticed certain character traits of his that she wasn’t such a fan off. He started to get irritable with her for going out and having fun with her friends, claiming he wanted her all to himself. At first she appeased him and spent all of her time with him. However, after a while she found she was cutting herself off from her friends and began to feel very lonely, resenting him instead. Needless to say the relationship didn’t last long!
Although initially the thought of being in a relationship is appealing, the reality of being with someone you don’t really like is more miserable than being single on V-day! Don’t rush into a relationship with the first person that comes along, wait for that special someone and see how the sparks fly. Your perfect boy is out there and it will be worth the wait! Instead of hooking-up with the boy you flirt with in the library, this year perhaps try spending February 14th with your best friends. There is nothing stopping you getting all dressed up and going out with your girlfriends. And if not, Ben and Jerry always provide pretty good company…
Photo Credits: www.fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net, http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/love-facts?before=1342632076