February 13th, aka Galentine’s Day, is a holiday that is (unfortunately) not celebrated as often as it should be. For those of you unacquainted, Galentine’s Day is the invention of popular comedy T.V. show, Parks and Recreation. The purpose is simple; to celebrate yourself and your female friends the day before Valentine’s Day, a date all too often associated with failed romances and negative feelings. It’s not just a celebration of single-dom (you can be in a relationship and still shower your gal pals with positivity and appreciation); it’s an important way you can show the women around you how much they mean to you. Here are some reasons why Galentine’s Day should be on your to-do list this week:
1. CRUSHING ANXIETY AND GENERAL BAD VIBES
Everywhere you turn nowadays there’s negativity, and that can really strain/wear down your relationships (platonic or otherwise), especially in college when it sometimes seems like you’re buried in a deep pit of stress devoid of all happiness and light. BUT Galentine’s Day is a great way to combat this and replenish yourself. I know it’s lame (and completely hypocritical) to say, but give yourselves a break! That wholesome female energy may be just what you need to de-stress and remember that there’s light in the world!
2. THE JOY OF DOING SOME GOOD IN THE WORLD!
As aforementioned, the world is a pretty trying place. Try bringing some positivity into the void for a little while! You could go all-out and write a detailed letter to each of your friends telling them how special they are to you, or you could do something more low-key like buying/baking some cookies for your womies (women homies…ah forget it, Merriam-Webster’s not looking, are they?). Anyway, most of us feel relatively decent after spreading some joy around, and honestly, you can’t tell me that you won’t want to see your friends’ faces light up.
3. GETTING SHOWERED WITH AFFECTION
Okay, so as a single person, affection is a little difficult to come by sometimes (not to say my friends don’t ever make me feel appreciated!). When you’re in a (good/healthy) relationship, you’re usually receiving compliments often, or at least make it a point to appreciate each other in different ways. Sometimes platonic relationships are neglected a bit in favor of romantic ones, but we should also consciously consider how we build our friendships too (especially with other women!). Plus, it definitely feels pretty good, not only to be appreciated for being a good friend, but also to be just a little pampered.
All in all, Galentine’s Day is meant as a celebration of women and the importance of female friendships. Julie Beck from The Atlantic writes in her article “How Friendships Change in Adulthood,” that “the voluntary nature of friendship makes it subject to life’s whims in a way more formal relationships aren’t.” Beneficial friends should be there for you through thick and thin, and as women in the present day, it’s essential to build good platonic relationships. But what if you don’t have a solid friend group, or some toxic friends you don’t feel are worth appreciating? No problem. Galentine’s Day isn’t strictly for your friends; call your mom, sister, or other close female relatives, give thanks to your favorite female teacher or professor, or maybe go out on a limb and start up a conversation with a good friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. Reach out to any special woman in your life and make it known how grateful you are to have them there, regardless of what their role is.
So, to all the women who:
Take care of me when I’m sick,
Put up with me when I’m annoyed,
Laugh at my terrible jokes,
Calm me down,
Shut down my self-deprecation,
Smile when they see me,
Study with me,
Teach me academic skills and life skills,
Help me learn how to speak up for myself,
Inspire me every day,
Thank you.
Always,
Maddy