It’s that time of year again where it feels like everyone around me miraculously happens to be in a relationship coincidentally right before valentine’s day. The first thing that everyone thinks of about valentine’s day is whether or not they’ll be celebrating it single or in a relationship. Surprisingly, Valentine’s day to me has had multiple significant meanings, but overall it has always just been another day.

Throughout elementary school, valentine’s day meant free candy for everyone and those cute cliché cards with the different cartoon characters on it that sometimes made me laugh. Occasionally, you would see the lovey dovey part of the holiday where the shy boy confesses his love to the popular girl and then they walk each other to the bus loop, where their love ends in a casual hug, but besides that it always felt like just another day.

High school is when the magic started happening. My high school created this whole plan that the months leading up to February would be “cuffing season”, the idea was that all of the singles could quickly get into a relationship long enough to last through the infamous holiday. A majority of the guys and girls went all out for their “loved ones” and it always felt like a competition to see who would be carrying the most gifts as they walked through the hallways.

In my opinion, valentine’s day is more or less a vamped-up Halloween. Both holidays have the same guidelines and the only real difference is that one is more demonic, while the other is a day to talk about your feelings. Don’t get me wrong, I myself have experienced the “love” part of the holiday whether I wanted to or not, but looking from the outside in it all just seems staged.

First of all, let’s break the stigma. Valentine’s day is not a day for those only in a relationship. You can love whoever is around you whenever. Most people decide to have “galentines day” which is basically a spoof of a girl’s night out. Even a casual dinner with your parents, siblings, or best friend is an acceptable way to celebrate this profound holiday.

There’s always going to be that one person who decides it’s their job to rant about how every day should be valentine’s day for couples, and how everyone just uses the holiday as an excuse. Although, this may be 100% true, I don’t think it’s our duty as singles to call everyone in a relationship out, because it just makes us look bitter and jealous. Instead of complaining on twitter, get out there and celebrate the way you think is necessary.

I challenge you to go out and see the holiday in a different perspective. Take the time to sit back and see the gifts the holiday has to offer, like the discounted candy following the holiday or the giant teddy bears that deep down all of us desire.

For us singles, valentine’s day isn’t always about dreading not being in a relationship, but rather loving ourselves and those around us. Who knows, my perspective might change in the future when I join the relationship side, but for now I’ll be content with the SweetTart candy hearts and enjoy the single life.