No, I didn't accidentally type a "P" in place of a "V" -- Palentine's Day is an actual thing (or at least it should be). I remember way back when -- OK, a few years ago -- when there were only two types of people on Valentine's Day: the ones who are all crazy happy to be crazy in love, and the ones who were supposed to be sad and crying into a pint of Haagen Daz. This time around, however, things seem to be a little different.
Other content platforms are tooting about ways you and your buddies can make the day, stereotypically intended for those who are in a relationship, super fun and memorable: cook dinner for a big group get together; do each other's makeup; have a guy's night. A greater emphasis is being placed on the value of friendships rather than relationships, and with good reason. I always get (slightly) annoyed hearing people complain endlessly about not having a boyfriend or girlfriend at the mere sight of a couple holding hands on campus. I'm pretty sure you have more to worry about than not having a cuddle buddy during bodacious blizzards, and not having someone to buy you a giant heart-shaped box of chocolate. Are your 22 credits, part-time job and the on-campus club not keeping you busy enough? Simply put, there's more to your college life than being in a relationship.
The idea that cuddly couples can serve as a trigger for feelings of longing from those who aren't part of a romantic relationship is exactly why Palentine's Day is so special. Palentine's Day urges you to focus on what you do have -- your best buddies -- rather than on what you don't have. I'm not saying that those relationship criers are selfish or ungrateful for wanting a boyfriend or girlfriend, but sometimes people get caught up in the very idea of what it might be like to be wrapped in admiration from someone else and they forget that they can have just as much fun with the people who have been listening to them cry on and on about classes, exams, internships and jobs.
This day should be just as much about friendship as society, in the past, has made it about romance and dating. There should be no shame in saying that you're spending Feb. 14 getting your bromance on, or hanging out with a galentine. It's actually a shame when people attribute more attention to the fact that they're single on this day than to the fact that they can always make plans with friends on this day. Don't be the Sour Sally or the Danny Downer of the group who's still hung up on being single rather than enjoying the day -- seriously, get over it.
And it would seem that that's exactly what society is starting to do. You can now probably find hundreds of articles on Valentine's Day gifts for your best friend, girl squad, or dude posse, giving you ideas from witty T-shirts to quirky iPhone cases. Of course, articles geared toward attached couples will still persist, but this trend of celebrating friends offers a little something to those who are unattached, and, frankly, it's simply uplifting.
So get your head out of the ice cream bucket, put on your coolest smile and enjoy the day with your palentines -- the more, the merrier! Whether you gather together male friends, female friends, or male and female friends, you will be guaranteed an alternative that is much more fun than getting your pizza slice soaked with tears.
Who's your palentine?
