Valentine’s Day is normally thought of as a day to celebrate romantic love. This can make anyone who is single feel a little excluded. But, this holiday should be about celebrating love in general, not just romantic love! Since it’s not safe to go out and spend time with friends right now, I’ve decided to focus this year on self-love.
Life can be extremely stressful, especially as a college student. Although it can be difficult, making time for yourself is just as important as getting those A’s. While you can get good grades pushing yourself, it’s better to live a balanced life.
- Treat Yourself
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Treating oneself looks differently for everyone. Depending on your budget, this could mean spending a lot of money on a present for yourself or just $10. The point of “treating yourself” is just to buy something you’ve really wanted for a long time, but haven’t bought it yet.
Of course, only do this within reason. If you can’t afford it and it would be more stressful to purchase this item, I wouldn’t recommend it. However, treating yourself could include buying yourself something as simple as a box of chocolates or a bouquet of flowers to jazz up your home. It could also mean buying yourself a new shirt or a new pair of shoes. Do something that will spark joy in your life.
- Buy Your Favorite Food
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Romantic dates always seem to include a special meal. Just because you’re celebrating yourself doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to one. People always say the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, so take this opportunity to fill your own belly with love.
Go to your favorite restaurant, order your favorite meal, head back home and eat it from the comfort and safety of your couch. You could even do this while catching up on the latest new episodes or binging a next hit show.
- Exercise
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Exercise doesn’t have to be one hour of intense cardio, unless that’s something you enjoy. Working out can literally be anything, as long as you aren’t sitting on the couch. This could mean taking an extra-long stroll with your dog or going on a hike. You could even do some relaxing yoga at home to stretch out your tense muscles from the week. Exercising on Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be about being miserable!
- Self Care Routine
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For some reason, over the years, I’ve received a lot of face masks and bath salts as presents. Although I have an excessive amount, this isn’t a problem because they are perfect for celebrating and taking care of yourself. We do so much during the week that it can be difficult to find the one moment to take care of ourselves. If you’re like me and have a ton of these products, this is the time to use them! If you haven’t received these presents, all it takes is going to the closet shop near you and buying one bath bomb. Let the salts and bath bombs do their magic in the water and take that moment to do nothing.
A bath could also be the perfect time to read the book you haven’t had time for or to listen to your favorite podcast. It’s a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone if you’ve also got a facemask on.
Remember, the idea that Valentine’s Day is exclusively about romantic love is an outdated concept. We are living in the 21st century, where love comes in many shapes and forms. Whether it’s safely celebrating with friends or caring for yourself, this day is a special day to show others you care about them. But, the most important person to care for is yourself!