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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter.

Every year around mid-January, I start to dread Valentine’s Day. There’s nothing more disgusting than seeing happy couples post selfies at fancy restaurants, your best friend FaceTiming you to show you the chocolates her boyfriend bought her, and hearing John Legend on repeat. Don’t even get me started on the pink packaging which commercializes the holiday. So, in preparation for my own plans this February, here are 14 things you can do this Valentine’s Day other than despise everyone who is in love. 

  1. Ignore It

Nothing says anti-Valentines activities like pretending the whole day does not exist. Just spend your February 14th just as you would any other day, with little to no recognition of the holiday, and hopefully, your feelings of resentment will diminish. 

  1. Binge Scary Movies

Almost the exact opposite of crying your way through “The Notebook” and “The Fault in Our Stars”, tensing up on the couch while watching a horror movie will surely cure your Valentine’s Day sadness. A few of my favorite scary movies are “The Platform”, “Prisoners”, “Hush”, “The Conjuring”, and “Devil’s Due.” 

  1. Spa Night

Imagine this: you come home from a long day at school, light some candles, take a nice hot bath, shave your legs, moisturize, do a face mask, and curl up with a good book. For those who need a stress-relieving Valentine’s Day, have a spa night and give yourself some love.

My go-to spa night supplies
  1. Girls Night Out

If anyone can help you get through the day of love, it’s your gal pals. Boycott all relationship drama and spend the evening dressing up with friends for a night on the town. No love interests are allowed unless they offer to drop you off and pick you up.

  1. Treat Yourself

If no one will do it for you, buy yourself a big teddy bear, flowers, and heart-shaped chocolates. Better yet, celebrate a day late when everything is on sale and give your wallet a break. 

  1. Target

One of my favorite pastimes is going to Target. Since many people will be out on cheesy Italian dinners on the 14th, this is the perfect night to browse the aisles by yourself and let whatever you want fall into the cart. Fun fact: I spent last Valentine’s Day at Target browsing through the earrings section. 

  1. Get Artsy

Another Anti-Valentine’s activity you can easily do by yourself or with friends is to make art. Take the night off from homework and get out your old paints, oil pastels, or sketchbook. Why not channel your creative side when you’re not too excited about the day of love?

Buy an adult coloring book and let your creative side flourish
  1. Workout

If you’re feeling especially down this Valentine’s Day, channel your emotions into an intense workout. I feel my most powerful when lifting weights to my Galentine’s playlist.

  1. Make It a Family Affair

Who says Valentine’s Day is just for couples? Call your grandma and tell her you love her. Send your dad a card in the mail just to say hi. Take all your relationship hatred and channel it towards appreciating your family. 

  1. Catch Up On School

Let’s be honest: there’s no time for lovey-dovey nonsense when you have three papers, 60 pages of reading, and a lab report to do. Prioritize your schoolwork this Valentine’s Day and I promise, you won’t even notice all the chaos around you when you’re nose deep in your “Abnormal Psychology” textbook.

  1. Spend Time With Animals

Walk your dog, visit the lizards at Petco, or watch videos of baby animals. There are other ways to have a little oxytocin release than to overstimulate on romance. 

  1. Try a New Recipe

I am always looking for an opportunity to bake cookies or make a three-course meal, so while everyone you know is eating at restaurants with their significant other, try out a new recipe. If you need some inspiration, check out Easy Cheesy Vegetarian or Allergylicious for some of the healthy, simple recipes I swear by. 

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies anyone?
  1. Embrace Change

Whether you decide to rearrange your living room, dye your hair blue, or buy a goldfish, a great Anti-Valentine’s Day activity is to make some change in your life. No matter how big or small, improving one aspect of your life, instead of grumbling about all the love in the air, is a wonderful way to remain distracted and productive this Valentine’s Day.

  1. Her Campus

If all else fails, spend your Valentine’s day catching up on the latest Her Campus articles. A few of my favorite reads are Genna’s take on toxic masculinity in political science, Jordan’s view on virginity, and Marita’s pro and con list of bangs. No matter what you’re looking for, I guarantee there’s an article out there for you. 

Valentine’s Day can be a rough day for many people. Whether you are going through a breakup, against the commercialism of the holiday, hopelessly single, or can’t be with your significant other on the 14th, it can be hard to witness so many romantic gestures. This year, instead of moping around, make the most of your day. Happy Anti-Valentine’s Day to all! 

Lanaya Oliver

CU Boulder '24

Lanaya Oliver is the Editor-in-Chief and a contributing writer at the Her Campus Chapter at the University of Colorado at Boulder. As Editor-in-Chief, she oversees a team of editors, is the lead publisher and editor, and works as a campus corespondent. Outside of Her Campus, Lanaya is a senior at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is double majoring in both Psychology and Spanish with a minor in Sports Media. Her writing career started in high school when she was elected the position of school wide poet laureate after winning a poetry contest in her sophomore year. Now Lanaya’s writing has evolved from creative pieces to profiles and articles for her Her Campus articles. In her personal life, Lanaya is an ACE certified personal trainer and teaches both cycle and barre classes. Fitness is her passion and more often than not she can be found lifting weights, riding a bike, or running. She also enjoys being outdoors, binge watching movies, spending time with friends, thrift shopping, and munching on any white cheddar flavored snack she can find. Lanaya hopes to find a balance between her love for writing and her dreams of working in the fitness industry in her future career.