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The Rotunda
Friday, July 4, 2025

It's Valentine's Day: not really

Happy Singles Awareness Day! Err, no wait… Happy Capitalism Day!! Or maybe it is Happy Appreciate the Person You Love Day (even though you should do that every day, anyway?) Whatever you choose to call it, Valentine's Day is almost upon us. Oh boy.

If you couldn’t tell from my characteristically sarcastic introduction, Valentine's Day is not my favorite of holidays. I prefer National Dress Like a Pirate Day (ahoy! and free doughnuts at Krispy Kreme). This is simply because it is just a way for companies to sell you merchandise that you can use to shower your significant other with love, affection and chocolate. Not that those are bad things, because they certainly are not --everyone loves chocolate. As it so happens, I’m sitting here stuffing my face with it right now (the inspirational messages on the wrappers make me feel better about the world.) The problem is that, showing someone you love that you actually love them and appreciate their existence is something you should do anyway. Sure, Valentine's Day is a good way to create a reason to connect and to clear the calendar for some time together, but couples already have plenty of opportunities to celebrate. As is the trend now, you can easily make an anniversary out of any time period in a relationship. If you want an excuse to go out, just say it’s the second and a half anniversary of that one day you both did that one thing that one time. That’s totally passable.

So, what can you do if you're gleefully unattached during this time of year? Normally, this is where I would spout off some ridiculous ideas that are meagerly funny in an attempt to be mildly entertaining, (drown yourself in chocolate and sing Adele to your cat!) but instead, I have a nugget of wisdom for you (don’t act so surprised!) If you are single this Valentine’s Day, one thing you can do is LITERALLY, ACTUALLY ANYTHING YOU WANT. Go have fun with friends, see a movie, watch Netflix in your bed with a big burrito to keep you company, play your music loud, party, flirt -- whatever you desire. You’re not obligated to shop for presents, make plans, buy dinner or whatever else this holiday entails. Don’t stress about not having to participate in giving Hallmark a crap-ton of your money, just be happy being yourself and not blowing bucks on overpriced cards and chocolate.

Whatever you choose to do this weekend and whomever you choose to do it with, just be safe and have fun. If you’re celebrating with someone you love, remember that this isn’t the only day to show them you care, and if you are a party of one, be happy about it. Or don’t do anything I’ve said, I really don’t care. I’m just going to sit here and finish my chocolate.

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