Valentine's Day. A holiday filled with love letters, heart-shaped chocolates, cute dates and warm hugs (alongside other forms of physical affection). What's not to love with this day about love?
Spoiler alert — a lot. Especially if you're single. Trust me, I'm right with y'all. I'll be spending the 14th feeling sad while (begrudgingly) celebrating SAD (Singles Awareness Day). I don't know how many more hand-holding couples I can see walking down Palm Walk before I start feeling personally attacked.
Enough about me; let's focus on you guys. Didn't make it through cuffing season? Your Hinge DMs made it on Tinder Tuesday? Stuck in a Situationship of Doom™? Don't fret. Lucky for you, single folk, your lovely friends over at The State Press see you and hear your woes. To make this day go by just a little bit faster, I've cooked up a little survival guide for Valentine's Day.
READ MORE: 'Never too much love': Valentine's Day in the modern age celebrates more than romance
Manifesting
Get out those journals, folks. If the universe isn't going to send a significant other your way, you'll have to make the universe hear you. Let's write out some affirmations. Getting that positive energy out there is crucial to making your dreams come true.
Here are some examples:
"2026 is gonna be my year."
"I don't chase; I attract."
"I'm over my three-month situationship."
Want to be more active in your manifesting? Go outside and start hunting for happy couples (I'm partial to the MU patio). Once your targets are acquired, feel free to start sending some energy out into the universe. I prefer phrases among the lines of, "break up," "swap phones," or "I hope you find out you're related."
If you can't be happy, why should they? Can we start throwing tomatoes?
Staying in
Don't feel like choosing violence? No shame in that game. Staying inside is a common-sense safe choice if you're trying to keep your exposure to companionship to a minimum. That being said, it's no good to stay in and just rot in your bed. Cleaning will be your best friend.
Still feeling spiritual from our manifesting lesson? Burning some sage to purify your place of any negative energy is always a good start. Strive for the "clean girl aesthetic" that's saved on your Pinterest mood board — make your bed and scrub those counters until they're shining.
I'm sure all those people you aren't inviting over to your place will appreciate it. And who knows? Maybe the noise from the vacuum cleaner will block out that nagging voice in your head saying you aren't good enough to be in a relationship.
Music and movies
You can't adequately romanticize your solitude without some melancholic tunes in the background. Whether you're crying in the shower while eating a Russell Stover box of chocolates or just daydreaming about that person you're crushing on in stats class, adding music to the ambiance can really accentuate this cheesy rom-com aesthetic you've got going on.
If you're having trouble finding a good album, we brokenheartedly endorse "Blonde." Who got us? Frank Ocean got us. Unless we're talking about dropping another album. If you're more of a visual person, no stress. Sure, it takes two to tango, but that rule doesn't apply for a good movie night.
Who doesn't like living vicariously through two characters finding the type of love that you could only dream of on the silver screen?
Get some popcorn, wrap yourself in a blanket, pour a glass of red (for our 21+ readers) and turn on your favorite flick. I'm in a bit of a horror movie phase at the moment (and going through a bout of self-loathing), so you'll catch me watching "La La Land."
Emotional maturity…?
Let's take a minute to reflect. Is being single on you? Is being single that awful? Maybe you're not situated for commitment yet. Maybe accounting homework and internship hunting is taking too much time out of your schedule.
Maybe you aren't over that aforementioned three-month situationship kissing you on the forehead before telling you they weren't ready for anything serious. It's not like reserving some time to work on yourself is such a bad idea. Hitting the gym to get some endorphins isn't that crazy.
READ MORE: Insight: Taking weight off the racks
How about spending some time with your friends? Take some time to cherish the fact that love — not just romance — is all around you, and there's beauty in seeing how those connections enrich our lives. Granted, things seem rough right now, but we're exactly where we need to be. Choose celebration, not commiseration.
Call your ex.
Nobody's perfect.
Editor's Note: Neither the reporter nor The State Press condones or takes responsibility for what may happen afterward.
Edited by Andrew Dirst, Abigail Beck and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at stroeste@asu.edu and follow @samtroester on X.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
Sam is a sophomore studying political science with a minor in business. This is his first semester with The State Press.
