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5 Ways to Treat YOURSELF this Valentine’s Day

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Rutgers chapter.

As the season of love comes upon us, it’s important not to lose ourselves in the waves of “lovey-dovey” couple posts that seem to drown our social media feeds.

Remember: You are so deserving of love!

However, that does not require being in a romantic relationship. If you do not have a “significant other” other than yourself, you still have all of the love that you need. So treat yourself!

“How should I do that?”, you might ask. My response: I’ve got you—read on for some great ideas.

Go Out On a Solo Date

One of the keys to exercising self-love is cherishing your time to yourself.

What’s your favorite hobby? How would you love to spend an ideal day? Pursue that!

Some ideas to get you started:

  • Go to a local coffee shop
  • Visit a museum
  • Peruse a book/record/thrift store
  • Go window-shopping (or actual shopping—get yourself something!)
  • Take a walk or appreciate your surroundings

And, if going out isn’t your scene, why not stay in & read, watch a movie, or practice a hobby!

Buy Yourself Flowers

Miley Cyrus got it right—you can buy yourself flowers! I would go as far as to say that you should.

Why wait for someone else to flatter you with nature’s jewels? And who better than yourself to pick out a charming floral arrangement you know you’ll love? Take the opportunity of this lovely holiday and treat yourself to a flower or bouquet!

Prepare Your Favorite Meal (For One!)

If you love being in the kitchen, this one is for you. Food is a love language, and one which you can express towards yourself cooking or baking a special dish for one this Valentine’s Day.

Whether you prefer cooking or baking, sweet or savory, flashy experimentation or the beauty in simplicity, here’s your chance to serve yourself your choice of cuisine just the way you like it.

Write Yourself a Love Letter

I know this one might appear a bit corny on the surface, but it is genuinely beneficial (and healthy even) to do some positive introspection. Overthinkers such as myself all too often tend to scrutinize over our faults and belittle ourselves—so seize this holiday of love to put to paper everything that you love about yourself.

I am absolutely positive that you have more admirable qualities and enrapturing attributes than you give yourself credit for. Look at you, girl—you’ve made it this far! I am so proud of you for that, and you should be too.

Have a Galentine’s Day

For all my extroverted girlies, once you’ve relished in your own company, also take the liberty to celebrate another form of self-love—spending time with friends and loved ones! Gather your “gal”-entines and have a fun day or night. You can make the event as formal or informal as you want, as elaborate or lax as you please.

The possibilities are endless, but in the case that you might not know where to start—I got you, girl—here’s a list of examples to guide you along:

  • Picnic/potluck
  • Baking/cooking
  • Spa day
  • Girl talk session
  • Arts & craft (+ sip with drinks of choice)
  • Movie / karaoke Night
Alejandra Afanador is a first-year undergraduate student at Rutgers University Honors College in New Brunswick, NJ. She plans to major in Political Science on a Pre-Law track, with a particular interest in trial law and international law—an aspiring LAWtina elated to represent both women and Hispanics in the legal field. An avid reader and writer, Alejandra was drawn to HerCampus' opportunity to exhibit her affinity for words, fine-tune her ability to articulate them in professional publications, and further develop her hobby of graphic design. Previously, Alejandra was an editor, writer, and designer for her high school's magazine, the Hasbrouck Heights Pilot's Log. Currently, in addition to Her Campus, she is an Associate Editor of the Rutgers Undergraduate Law Review.