Ah yes, Valentine’s Day is upon us again. Whether the most romantic day of the year gives you butterflies or just makes you nauseous, we’ve got suggestions to help make your day extra special, or, at the very least, tolerable.
Going the Distance
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. While that may be true, maintaining a long-distance relationship isn’t always so easy on the heart. And it isn’t always so easy to find a practical way to celebrate Valentine’s Day (especially when it inconveniently falls on a Monday). But if you and your significant other have what it takes to make the long-distance thing work, then tweaking your Valentine’s Day plans is doable.
“We exchanged cards for Valentine’s Day last weekend since we’re not at the same school and can’t celebrate together on the actual day,” said Mara James, a senior government and politics major. Although James’ boyfriend of four years goes to Princeton, the two make sure to work out weekend visits around special occasions. James said while the two exchanged cards last weekend during her boyfriend’s visit, they agreed not to open them until Valentine’s Day.
If you’re not lucky enough to get a visit from your faraway honey, there are plenty of other ways to make Valentine’s Day special. Sending a card or flowers or chocolate in the mail is a nice touch, but try and get a little more creative to make the day truly personal. Just because you don’t live in the same zip code doesn’t mean you can’t have a romantic Valentine’s Day date. Set up a time to talk with your significant other over Skype. You can even arrange to have dinner at the same time. Add some candlelight and viola, you’ve got a romantic (albeit cyber) evening.
Lucky in Love
Some people really do have it all. But even if you’re fortunate enough to have your boy toy living in the area, it doesn’t necessarily mean Valentine’s Day plans will be a breeze. The challenge becomes making this day different and more special than all of those other ones you spend together.
Senior hearing and speech major Danielle Kopkin has been dating her boyfriend, who also lives in Maryland, for two years. This year, the couple is fleeing College Park to find Valentine’s Day romance elsewhere. “We’re going up to Philly on Saturday and getting cheese-steaks and going to a museum. I’ve never been to Philly so I’m super excited,” said Kopkin. Traveling to a new city or just trying something together for the first time is a great way to spice up your holiday and make it anything but ordinary.
All My Single Ladies
Valentine’s Day can be a touchy subject for those of us flying solo, so I turned to my dear friend Google for some advice about what single college students can do on Valentine’s Day. I have to say, I was mildly offended by the responses yielded by my search. The most popular results included: having a “movie-fest” alone or with your
girlfriends, making a nice dinner for yourself or my personal favorite, set up an online dating profile. How about something that doesn’t remind you that you’re alone on the most romantic night of the year? I suggest a dinner and drinks out with your girlfriends, or if you think you can stomach it, head out to the movies and see
something you really want to see—but maybe stay away from a chick flick or rom-com.