“Life like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” (Hanks, Tom, Forrest Gump. Forrest Gump. Paramount Pictures, 1994.) But, if you’re single this Valentine’s Day, you know exactly what you’re getting—disappointment, right? Wrong. Valentine’s Day has long been known as a holiday by couples, for couples, but it must be contested. Valentine’s Day is for single people.
Think about it, how many times have you been pestered by annoying friends with significant others on Valentine’s Day? Never. Neither does anyone bother you about doing something on Valentine’s Day, because they think they know what you’ll be doing. They think you’ll be at home wishing you had someone to spend the day with. But luckily for you, you have the person that matters most—yourself!
When you’re single, there’s no dressing in ‘nice’ clothes that make you uncomfortable, no big bills to pay, no one to upset with your lack of planning, no nasty Valentine’s Day candy that you feel obligated to eat because someone gave it to you as a present; just you and a whole day of your own time, on your own schedule.
Now, it must be said, the days leading up to the 14th are never easy. Friends and family alike seem to open an inquisition upon your schedule by asking if you have any plans, over and over. But, as long as you aren’t the butt end of a joke, these questions are easily fended off with a simple, “nope, no plans” or something of the sort.
In fact, these inquisitions might even play into your hand. I recall many people answering similar questions in a way that enticed just enough pity in someone else, to get something out of the ordeal. One year, a friend of mine had chicken tenders hand delivered, from Chick-Fil-A no less, for free. Of course, he didn’t actually mind being single and he ate those chicken tenders with a smirk on his face.
So if you don’t have a date this Valentine’s Day, don’t fret, play it up a little bit. Simply sit back, laugh as you watch the price of roses skyrocket over a matter of a few days and spend some much deserved quality time with yourself.
Categories: Editorials, Opinion
