It is that special time of the year again when teddy bears get ripped in half and too many bottles of wine are being emptied out: Valentine’s Day or as some like to call it, Single Awareness Day.
While this holiday of love can be a day of horror for some, involving tears and an overindulgence in candy bars, an imagination and a sense of humour can turn this Feb. 14 into a fun and unforgettable experience.
Indulging: Girls are not the only ones who are affected when single on V-Day. For Martin Hulala and Bacel Debs, two guys in their early 20s, indulging is their advice on what to do when your status says unattached. “I would say pig out. Order your favourite pizza and finish it up with a strawberry cheesecake,” advised Hulala, a design student at Herzing College. “When you are single on Valentine’s Day, you can’t be on a diet.” For Debs, his vice is a little different. “I usually start with a bottle of whiskey and keep going until it’s empty,” he said. “Then the next morning I wake up with a major hang over and can’t remember the previous night. Now is that romantic or what?”
Partying: While staying in works for some, others see it as too calm and lonely of an evening. “Go out with your best friends and get wasted, it always helps forgetting that you are single,” said psychology major Amanda Mangione. Though currently in a relationship, Mangione was not without suggestions. “If you’re a little on the wild side, find a random girl/guy and take him to a motel.”
Concordia student Alyssia Shiwdayal also likes to party on Valentine’s Day but rather than going out clubbing, she celebrates with a small group of friends. “Last year, and I’ve been invited this year again, we had a small party [for our] single friends where everyone brought a bottle of wine and chocolates, and we had this kind of testing session where you had to figure out what chocolates go best with which wine. Friends, booze and chocolate equals good times.”
Hibernating: Alexia Cohen, a 22-year-old student at UQAM, says that there is no better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than at home with the girls. “A night watching romantic chick flicks and eating chocolate ice cream is priceless.”
Pampering: If you are in a relationship, then hopefully your partner will spoil you with gifts, food and god knows what. But for those not in a relationship, you need to become your own partner. “Get your manicure and pedicure done. Buy yourself the best cleavage shirt ever,” said Cohen. “Feel good, feel sexy, fall in love with yourself.”
