So by now I’m sure we all know the basis and meaning behind Valentine’s Day, but what about the lovely single people? What do they do on this love filled day? Well, it’s time to learn about Valentine’s Day, the single’s version, aka Singles Awareness Day.

Valentine’s Day is traditionally meant to celebrate and cherish the blooming of love, which usually leads to couples expressing their love even more than normal. What do single people do on this overwhelming day of love without a significant other? Well, they cherish themselves because the first person you should be able to love and enjoy is yourself. “Being single isn’t bad because you don’t have to stress and worry about keeping someone else happy all the time. You get to focus on yourself for a while,” Peyton Beasley (12) said. This is just another reason why there is no need to feed into the stereotype of the bitter single third wheel; enjoy all you have to offer the world with the knowledge that your someone great is soon to come, but has yet to find you.

“Valentine’s Day isn’t just about spending time with your boyfriend or girlfriend. It’s about spending time with people you love in a familial sense and by being single you get to see a wider scope of love,” John McKissack (11) said. This is the whole basis of Singles Awareness Day: the idea that celebrating the people that have always been important to you and will continue to be, including yourself.

I know we all remember those elementary school days where everyone received a Valentine’s card because it wasn’t a big deal. That was when the true essence of the day had more meaning than we all knew it did and before it had been changed into what it is now. “Back then Valentine’s Day was about being with everybody you love not that one girl or boy you “love”. I miss that about Valentine’s Day,” Alexander Asemota (11) said.

Yes, being single on Valentine’s Day may not be ideal, but who cares? This day has changed into an extremely commercial holiday anyway, where your love is shown through what presents or sweet treats you bring to the table. But these superficial things don’t make up love; they just make up Valentine’s Day. Being single on this “holiday” shouldn’t make you feel bad about yourself whatsoever. “My best Singles Awareness Day was when I bought myself some ice cream and chocolate silk pie, sat on my couch, and just chilled by myself and enjoyed my night,” Rahni Stewart (10) said.  Singles Awareness Day is not a day to feel sorry for yourself, but a chance to exude your self-confidence like it’s your job. So go out there, gather some friends and have the best Singles Awareness Day you can imagine.