If you’re like me and cringing at the thought of the heart-shaped-balloons-red-roses-mushy-messages-love-songs filled day coming up soon, but secretly sulking about not having anyone to get mushy with, this post is for you.
Last week during lunch when I realized V-Day was drawing close, on impulse I decided to throw a Single’s Party. Then I looked around wide-eyed with a toothy smile to realize I was surrounded by people who are all romantically involved. It was a moment that hit me hard, because 1) I was really excited about throwing a theme party and 2) I was the only single one around.
When you’re 31, it is rare to find someone still hanging around in your boat. You do have some of the married ones from their 20’s joining you, with some trepidation at having caught the dreaded label of ‘single’ again. So for the stigmatized, down-trodden, commercially forgotten and the ones without any festival (because every day is worth celebrating when you’re single!), here is a list of things you can do and not let the 14th of February get to you.
- Avoid eating out: Because they’re throwing themselves a party all across the city. This is not the day to hit the bar alone because there will be few chairs to spare and do you really want to walk through pink and white streams that glitter because that is the dress-code for “giddily in love”? Call in a delivery or hey, try that cooking thing you’ve been wanting to do for a few months now.
- Make your Netflix list: Browse through those Netflix Originals you’ve been sneaking peeks at and go wild. And if you’ve got the nerve, I dare you to watch a Julia Roberts of Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie and sniffle it out till the end. So what if you aren’t with someone in real life – fantasy boyfriends are awesome!
- Ban social media: Or you can double-click the 28 odd pictures couples will upload in cute poses all through the day. Live vicariously through someone’s love life but it is a possible downer so I would recommend you wait till the 15th. Also, it’ll be the weekend and the pubs will be open again and while you browse through the posers clicked in candle-light (always a nice setting) your glass of choice can keep you company.
- Work late: It’s a Thursday and may be you can be the one all caught up on work and ready to chill and start the weekend early. The others will be busy thinking about gifts and dinners and dates and what to wear and you could be spending time with that exhaustive spreadsheet, or the colorful graphs on the PowerPoint, or just catching up on all those unread mails sitting on your inbox, waiting for you to spare them some love.
- Turn into the V-Day helpline: There will be someone who will mess up in your circle and need your help or advise. Be alert and use your experience and lack of plans to make someone else feel better. Lend a shoulder, or may be a gift you have to spare, and be that friend indeed.
Lastly, ignore this post and tips and ignore Valentine’s Day. You’ve stayed single so long because you have refused to compromise on your standards and wishes. Don’t let one day in the year question you. This day becomes challenging because it brings together the majority of the world under a heart-shaped balloon, flying high, leaving you behind on the ground. Well, let them fly.
We’ll keep walking.
Alternative Philosophy 