Kate shares her Valentine's Day tips for singles: 'Who said Valentine's Day is only reserved for couples?'
Ahhh, Valentine’s Day. From the beginning of February, we are being bombarded with advertisements for heart-shaped mascots, chocolates, donuts, even pizzas. Some people love it, some quite the opposite. I was never the biggest fan of it myself, but I must admit I have a soft spot for all kinds of holidays. That’s why, single or not single, every year I find myself celebrating this day in one way or another.
While the 14th of February might not be such a bad day for the people in the relationships, it might be a bit more triggering for the singles out there. Thankfully, I got all your fellow bachelor’s back! For starters, I like to see Valentine's Day as a holiday of love in general. This mind trick makes me feel less guilty for not having a date that particular night. Furthermore, I came up with some better ideas for spending this Valentine's than watching romantic comedies with a bucket of ice cream under the blanket. If you are curious, keep reading!
Family and friends
Who said Valentine's Day is only reserved for couples?! Every day is perfect to show your friends and family how important they are to you and the 14th of February is one of them. You can brighten someone's day by simply texting or telling them how much they mean to you. If you wanna take the extra step, you can even make them quirky DIY Valentine cards saying ‘’You are avocadorable!’’ or ‘’I olive you!’’. Channelling my love for my best friends during last Valentine’s helped me a lot with not turning into a frustrated bowl of sadness after a recent breakup. I highly recommend trying it out.
Self love
When you are in a relationship, you often have to compromise about how you want to spend your time together. Thankfully single people don’t have that problem. You can organize a date with yourself and make it exactly how YOU want it! Order your favourite take-out or cook something special. Go to the cinema or make a date with your creativity by finally making use of this paint and brushes you have in the bottom of your drawer. Whatever it is, just do what makes YOU happy!
Get moving
I’m a physiotherapy student so I could talk about the benefits of exercise for hours. But one of my favourite effects of making your heart race a bit is how easily it can boost your mood! Even 5 min of moderate physical activity causes reduction of stress hormones and elevation of endorphins in your body. No, you don’t have to go for a run to get this effect. Doing some yoga, going for a cycle, or following a workout on YouTube will also work. One of my favourite things to do is locking myself in my bedroom, blasting my favourite music, and dancing like no one is watching.
Clean
Sometimes cleaning feels like the evilest of the chores. I am guilty of sometimes postponing vacuuming or doing my laundry till it’s absolutely necessary. Who has time for cleaning as a student?!
But I have to admit that when I convince myself or my roommate pressures me to grab the mop and get the job done, I feel much better afterwards. That’s why this Valentine's I’m planning to make myself a hot cup of tea, put on my favourite music, and dedicate the whole morning to spring clean my flat. I’m sure it will be a great valentine's gift for both me and my flatmate.
Go for a walk
When people ask me what I like to do in my free time, my usual answer is to go on walks. Yes, yes, I know that this sounds like a hobby of a 50-year-old person, but bear with me. First of all, walking is already a form of physical activity so even a short stroll around the neighbourhood can boost your mood. Second of all this is the time which you can fully dedicate to yourself and recharging your batteries. During my daily walks, I often listen to my favourite music, podcasts, audiobooks, or I just walk in silence and let my brain run around without any distractions. So, if the Dutch weather allows you, and you are positive that you won’t get blown away by the wind, kick yourself out of the house on Valentine's Day and go for a walk in nature.
Party
Being single on the 14th of February doesn’t mean you have to spend Valentine's only with yourself. Although playing drinking games on your own might be tempting, doing it with your friends will be probably more fun. So, invite over all the people without plans and celebrate this day together. I guarantee that while watching a stand-up comedy show on Netflix or playing board games you will be less likely to call all your exes in the middle of the evening. You are welcome.
So, there you have it! I hope you like some of those ideas and you will try them out yourself. If you do, it will be like celebrating Valentine's together!
Happy 14th of February everyone! May the love be with you.