So, you’re alone on Valentine’s Day? Maybe you’re single, or due to Valentine’s Day falling on the first Saturday of reading week, your significant other has gone home for the break. Or maybe even your closest gal pals have headed home as well. It can feel a little (a lot) shitty that you can’t celebrate this holiday of love with who you love, but to me this holiday isn’t just about romantic love, it’s about friend and self love. So regardless of if you’re with your friends or just your perfect self, here’s a list of a few things to do for Valentine’s Day.
WITH FRIENDS: Have a Galentine’s Party
Coined by the famous Leslie Knope, Galentine’s Day is a day dedicated to spending time with your closest group of girl friends and showing your love for each other. I had my first Galentine’s Day a few years ago with my friend Susie, and it really was better than anything I could do with a boo since there was no pressure for it to be super memorable or extravagant.
Here are some suggestions of what to do with your number one ladies:
1) Have a day/night in
Get all your girls over, and ask them to bring suggestions of movies to watch (You can’t go wrong with Disney!). You should all wear your pyjamas and binge on food, drinks and the cheesiest movies. Also, in the spirit of love, ask everyone to share their favourite memory of you as a group and with each member of your posse. To make the occasion even sappier, ask everyone to share their favourite trait of each person. There will be giggles, tears and warm feelings in your heart. Or if your girls aren’t the emotional type, take some funny online personality and friendship tests and have fun with it!
2) Go out on the town
Who does a better job than your friends at making you feel confident and beautiful? Get your girls together and organize an extravagant night on the town. Most fancy restaurants will be packed with “grossly-in-love” couples, so have some friends over for a potluck. Once you’re all full, get ready for a party! Getting ready to go out is more fun than even going out! Wear your sexiest little dress and go bar or club hopping. Maybe you’ll even meet some cuties (wink, wink) and if that isn’t really your scene, have a stroll around the Byward Market and stop by all the necessary places: Menchies, Beavertails, Zaks, everywhere! While you’re at it you can gawk at all the couples!
3) Do something crazy
While you have all your girls together, why not do something out of the ordinary? Go to Skyzone, go-karting, skiing, or anything unexpected. Think outside of the box of normal Valentine’s Day plans and do something cool. If you want to feel sexy you can take a dance class, or even a sex workshop at Venus Envy. You have your support system with you, so why not do something that scares you!
If, like me, you don’t have any plans, with a bae or with friends, what better day than February 14 than to appreciate yourself? You have a whole week off from school, so celebrate!
1) Pamper yourself
Whatever your idea of pampering yourself is, whether it’s spending all day in bed without a care in the world, or going to the gym to get toned, or having a nice bubble bath, do it! No one is tying you down, or forcing you to do anything, so take some deep breaths and focus on yourself.
2) Go to a movie
There’s some stigma around going to the movies alone, but I really don’t understand why! You can decide what to watch, when to go, where to sit in the movie and of course how much food to eat! Sometimes going out with friends or an S.O. to a film is a little challenging (Anna wants to see 50 Shades, but Jen is too timid, and everyone else is just apathetic about what to see- nd don’t get me started on what time and where to go!), but when you go alone the ball is in your court. You’re in the dark, so no one is judging you, and the people who work there couldn’t care less. So go on and see that movie you’ve been dying to watch!
3) Go for dinner
Again, I don’t understand the stigma with going to dinner alone. I personally went to Zak’s Dinner alone before the Christmas break, and it was so much fun! I had my Mindy Kaling memoir, a giant shake and a majestic poutine. I even made friends with the waiter. You can order what you want, stay however long you want, and you don’t have to stress about splitting a bill. What better way to treat yo’self than with a hearty meal? Since most fancy restaurants will be full, all the good guilty pleasure ones will be empty. Happy eating!
4) SHOPPING!
Go on and buy that “probably-too-expensive” item you’ve been drooling over for the past few weeks. Today is all about you and loving you! And trust me, that bag loves you back and makes you look like a million bucks!
Whatever you end up doing, have fun with it! Valentine’s (Galentine’s) only comes once a year, so make the most of it!
XOXO
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