When you are Single on Valentine's Day

While all the world seems to be smothered in red hearts and drowning in chocolate on Valentine’s Day, singles have a tough time wading through all this outpouring of romantic sentiment. For a holiday supposed to spread love and happiness, Valentine’s Day usually turns out to be a grating reminder to the unattached of how lonely they are. So if you are single and dreading the prospect of 14 February, here is how you can survive yet another Valentine’s Day on your own.

Be careful where you go

Common sense implies that on Valentine’s Day, the usual dating venues like parks, movie halls, discotheques and restaurants are going to be crowded with couples. So if you are looking for some place to go to take your mind off your single status, a cozy coffee-shop or a movie hall should be among the last places you should venture out. Stay indoors for the evening as far as possible as far as possible but if you must go out, decide to visit the library, explore the local museum or best of all hit the biking or hiking trail with a backpack.

Do your favorite thing

The fact that you are alone on Valentine’s Day does not mean that you have to be lonely. Tell yourself that you are your own most favorite person in the world and there are thus several ways you can enjoy your own company. On this day, do what you love doing best but don’t usually get time for – it could be re-reading your favorite Dickensian novel or playing with a palette of colors on a canvas. If you have the time and resources, treat yourself to a day at the spa or beauty parlor – getting a massage, manicure, facial or simply lounging in the sauna. For something simpler but equally satisfying, you could plan to play your favorite dance music and start grooving to the beats. However make sure that you don’t settle for something that might remind you of an ex. Also you might be a firm believer in retail therapy, but going out to shop this day might not be a good idea because of the plethora of Valentine Day-themed gifts and products. Rather do what you can to revel by yourself. Set aside a good one hour for practicing your favorite hobby and then head for the kitchen to prepare your favorite snack. Just for today decide to indulge yourself with some ice-cream, pizza, French fries or whatever figures on your no-no diet list.

Don’t compare yourself to others

With Valentine’s Day falling on a Monday this year, it might not be possible to bunk college or office at the beginning of the working week and stay at home to avoid the crowd of couples snuggling up to each other. So while you may have to venture out, stop imagining other people furtively pointing at you and laughing at your single status. Your classmates, pals and co-workers may all have dates planned for this evening but being partnered for Valentine’s Day does not necessarily mean that they are all actually in love or more importantly genuinely loved back.

Meet up with a single friend

If you must venture out on Valentine’s Day, call and plan to meet up a same-sex friend who is also single like you. You may have a good friend of the opposite sex but meeting them on Valentine’s Day may not be a good idea not only because they may already be booked for the evening but because it might send out mixed signals which in turn could lead to the ruin of a perfectly good friendship. Once you meet up with your pal, go out for a drink and have a good time celebrating your own singlehood or cribbing about Valentine’s Day being a consumerist conspiracy.

Resist fixing last-minute dates

If you find yourself on a loose end on Valentine’s Day, you may be sorely tempted on ring up your ex as a last-minute attempt at fixing a date. Or swept up by the mood of the day, you may even be inspired to call up that attractive co-worker you have been secretly nursing a crush on for the past three months. Such actions have unpredictable results at the best of times but on 14th February, they are most likely to smack of desperation and a neediness which is completely off-putting. Rather wait till things are come back to their usual tempo and the world is level-headed again; then maybe you can approach the object of your secret admiration with greater chances of success.

Switch off

If you though Valentine’s Day was just a plot by greeting card companies to bump up their post-Christmas sales, remember the media is not far behind. Practically all sitcoms and shows on the TV will be airing their Valentine’s Day specials this day while the internet and newspaper too will be full of Valentine’s Day articles. So switch off all information sources as far as practical on this day so that you are not bogged down with the all the mush of the V-factor. If you need to unwind after a hectic day at work dodging sly questions about plans for the evening, put on a DVD of your favorite action or historical movie and enjoy with a big bowl of popcorn.

Wish someone

Much as you would like to, it is impossible to ignore Valentine’s Day especially when the whole world seems determined to be colored in one haze of red and pink. So do the next best thing and call up to wish someone very close to you ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’. It could be a parent, a sibling or a very good friend since after all this day is about expressing your love for a dear one and not necessarily a romantic partner. Finally see off the day by thinking positive thoughts. Remind yourself that there are many situations in which it is better to be single than with a partner – you could have been miserable, abused or giving way too much in an unhappy relationship. Instead you have now opened yourself to finding a person who will be right for you and will make you happy.