Valentine’s Day: the day of hearts and flowers and love and boyfriends and girlfriends making a big effort to show each other just how much they love one another. Or if you’re single, you may be a little more familiar with your faithful friends, Ben and Jerry. This year, let’s save the whole sitting all alone in our rooms crying and watching The Notebook while throwing a box of chocolates at the flat screen, Elle Woods style.
Let’s look on the bright side, ladies, and plan our anti-Valentine’s Day accordingly. Take a second to realize that V-Day falls on a Thursday this year. How perfect. You can ring in the big day at midnight while indulging in a little (or a lot) of Group Therapy at Dunbar’s in Collegetown with your best girlfriends. Or, if you’re not into the Collegetown scene, then head over to Moonies and reap the benefits of Ladies Night this Wednesday. Just watch out for the creeps who most definitely will be out in full-force trying to pick up the saddest looking girl at the bar. Now I know that will NOT be you, girl.
If you’re not into the night scene, why not go out to dinner with a group of your best, single, friends? You’re not the only one on the planet who is single, so take this day as an opportunity to celebrate being young, in college, and free from any attachments. Try Sumo, the Japanese restaurant with the best (or technically, only) Hibachi in town. Hibachi is always a good time and a great atmosphere for a group of friends (and probably not the first choice for couples to dine at either).
If none of that sounds appealing, here are a few more options to make your Single’s Awareness Day a little more appealing:
1. Google “anti valentines day” and you’ll see some funny stuff that will definitely brighten up your miserable, lonely day.
2. Head over to Urban Outfitters (since that’s the only good place to shop in a 50 mile radius) for a little retail therapy, or a lot….
3. If you were thinking of watching a sappy romantic movie, just don’t.
4. Make yourself a heart-shaped cake and indulge!
5. Run around campus pretending you’re in the zombie and alien club but actually hit people with Cupid’s arrow. (Although this may make you feel better, people might just think you’re weird).
6. Stab a teddy bear (extra moment of happiness if it was from an old boyfriend).
7. Go to the gym for a hardcore workout. Your motivation? All the girls are getting ready for their date night with their boo’s. Translation: perfect opportunity for you to work on your hot bikini bod that you’ll be showcasing on Spring Break in Punta Cana. (Cue Keri Hilson’s song, “Pretty Girl Rock”, a.k.a. your anthem). Oh, and the aftermath of sweating your butt off feels pretty good too.
8. Head over to the nearest puppy store to brighten your mood instantly. I mean, who doesn’t love puppies, right? Just try not to hug them too tightly.
9. Go to Kilpatrick’s and make a fool of yourself at Karaoke Night. You know your inner Beyonce is just waiting to be unleashed.
10. Go ahead, nom in that fat pint of half-baked Ben and Jerry’s ice cream (or the real thing if you live in Colorado).
If you’re like me and know you only have a bouquet of flowers from Daddy and new Victoria’s Secret undies from Mommy to look forward to, try not to sweat the one little speed bump in your otherwise causal, totally average, nothing-out-of-the-ordinary month of February. At least you know Beyonce will always have your back. She knows us single ladies best and she taught the world the most important fact you need to remember: “Who run the world? Girls!” Plus, Valentine’s Day is totally just a made-up Hallmark holiday anyway, so, “Happy unimaginative, consumerist-oriented and entirely arbitrary, manipulative and shallow interpretation of romance day” (http://www.meish.org).