It’s that time again. Candy hearts and stuffed animals and all
those lovey dovey couples… And you wish
you had a great boyfriend or girlfriend like your friends and roommates have,
but you just don’t right now. So as the
date on your calendar inches closer and closer to February 14th, you
groan inwardly (and possibly outwardly) and complain to everyone who listens
about how Valentine’s Day is really just “Singles Awareness Day” and plan to
just spend the entire night studying or curled up in the fetal position
watching Netflix.
But, honestly, no need to
fret. At the risk of sounding like a
self help book that should be lining the shelves at Barnes & Noble unsold, for those of you, who like me are in a
committed relationship with your running shoes (in my case a beautiful, trusty pair of size nine, neon pink Women's Brooks Glycerin, pictured left), which is truthfully the
only relationship I have time for these days, you can be that single girl or
guy who hasn’t found the right person yet, but is perfectly OK with it. And yeah, that might sound incredibly cheesy
or improbable or something a single person would
say to squash their insecurities, but we are all human, and we all have busy
lives, and most of us spend years searching for the right person, and
eventually we will find them, but until then, we are students and professionals
and athletes and dreamers. Someday, we
will find our other halves but until then, we will give and receive love where
and how we know best: our families, our friends, our pets, our sports, our dreams,
no matter how preposterous or inconceivable those may seem.
Tomorrow is February 14th
and that’s OK. Valentine’s Day (or the
Feast of St. Valentine) came from obscure beginnings, and there are secrets and
truths about the holiday that we will probably never know, stories that have
never been told or have long since ceased to be told. Billions of people woke up on Valentine’s Day
before it revolved around roses, boxes of chocolate and romantic dinners and/or
marriage proposals. Once upon a time, it
was a religious celebration to honor a martyr who risked everything and died
for his beliefs. So this Valentine’s
Day, if you’re in between relationships and are frustrated by the cheesy
commercialism that surrounds you, don’t be.
Tomorrow is February 14, 2014, and that’s a day you only get to see
once, so keep your head up and enjoy the day.
And if you’re not single this Valentine’s Day, technically speaking,
these tips still apply:
1.
RUN,
FORREST RUN!
OK, so chances are your name probably isn’t Forrest Gump. But, that said, there are very few times in
life where running is not the answer.
Although, since I am currently walking the fine line between shin
splints and stress fracture (and we’ll get to that later), running probably
isn’t the best choice for me right now.
But, thankfully, the world has other options to offer: hand weights,
weight machines, stationary bikes, body weight exercises… So I don’t think I’ll
be having too difficult of a time getting in my work out tomorrow, and you
shouldn’t either.
2.
Movie
Night!
Watch a movie. But, don’t go it
alone. You’re not the only single person
in this world. Grab a few of your
closest friends and roommates, bake something sugar-filled and delicious, order
a pizza and pop in one of your favorite flicks.
Whether it’s a good Nick Sparks romantic tear jerker like A Walk to Remember, a running drama like
Saint Ralph (Which is a must see for
any budding marathoner), a classic like Forrest
Gump or another one of your personal faves, there’s nothing like a good
night with friends.
3.
Call
your family.
I can’t emphasize this enough. I
talk to my mom all the time. Whether
it’s to get advice, find out what’s going on, brag about my achievements, etcetera, she’s
always there to listen… And Valentine’s Day is no different. When you’re a kid, your parents buy you
stuffed gorillas and maple sugar candy and lindt chocolate and Ferrero Rocher’s
(or maybe my family just has a sweet tooth).
So take a minute, text your bro, Skype your sister, call your mom and
dad… (Although make sure you do this weekly, but now I might be crossing the
line into “Surviving College 101”)…
4.
Cheat
on your diet.
Currently on my kitchen table sits a large jar of dark chocolate
m&m’s. My roommates and I (although
definitely mostly me), have polished off no fewer than two and a half bags of
them in the past week. But, I
shamelessly plan to bake tomorrow, and a box or two of chocolate and other
baked goods from friends and family should be arriving on my doorstep any
minute now… OK, so who am I kidding? I’m
not on a diet, but I get antsy if I go more than three days without a workout
so who needs to diet anyway?
5.
Don’t
get up on the wrong side of the bed.
Whatever you do, remember that Valentine’s Day is just another day. If it wasn’t Valentine’s candy lining the
shelves of the stores, it would be Easter eggs or chocolate Santas wrapped in
foil. So take the opportunity to enjoy
the seasonal munchies, without feeling depressed. Just like yesterday or tomorrow, you have the
same friends, the same family, and the same significant other, if there’s one in
your life right now, as any other day.
As a college student, I’ll go to classes and have a quiz in history just
like any other Friday. Don’t be that
bitter girl (or guy) bringing everybody else down because you’re “sad and
alone”. Life changes in the blink of an
eye (sorry for being so cliché again) and in a few months, you might be with
someone, missing the blissful lack of responsibility of the single life. So blast your favorite music, talk to or see
your favorite people, watch a good movie, get that work out in and eat your
favorite foods and desserts. Valentine’s
Day only comes once a year. May as well
enjoy it while it lasts.
That’s all for now.
(I promise to be less cheesy and philosophical next time)
-Sarah
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