February is upon us—or more importantly: Valentine’s Day.
Many people have coupled up already during the winter holidays, or are on the search for a partner. Some might even be searching for a date to share the 14th with. I’ll admit that while I’m not one of these people actively searching for a partner, I wouldn’t say no to someone wanting to share the 14th with me! But in the meantime, I have my friends to celebrate with me. They may not be my romantic soulmates, but they are my platonic soulmates, and it’s important for me to let them know they’re appreciated and loved. There’s a saying claiming that friends are the family we choose, and my friends are a family I’m proud of.
So, this Valentine’s Day I plan to spend it with my friends in a fun Galentine’s celebration! Despite being a group of homebodies, we throw amazing get-togethers that often have us laughing to the point of pain. All we need are snacks, a television to play music in the background, and a topic. From that one simple topic, our conversations bounce around and take off in the most random of directions. Once, we started talking about the classes we were taking, and somehow ended up discussing how many things in the world are designed with men in mind, leaving us women at a disadvantage. We like to think we have just as much fun at home as we do on the occasional times we go out.
But, if a potluck-style celebration at home is not your and your friends’ style, there are many different ways to celebrate in Isla Vista and Santa Barbara!
Clubbing/Partying
I know there are many students at UCSB who love going to Downtown Santa Barbara for a fun time. If you’re one of these extroverts, there are a variety of bars and clubs you can try, from The Good Lion to EOS Lounge. Once you and your friends have all decided on a place to go, go all out on your outfit and feel free to experiment with cute, Valentine’s inspired makeup looks before leaving the house. Perhaps you’ll draw a little heart at the top of your cheekbones as a faux beauty mark, or substitute eyeliner for a creative pattern of hearts. Even though I myself don’t experiment with makeup, I love seeing others’ creative and bold looks!
Picnic
I like to think UCSB is a beautiful campus with many spots perfect for a picnic. If you and your friends aren’t homebodies, but also don’t want to party, a picnic at the beach, the bluffs, the lawn in front of the lagoon, or even one of the many parks here in Isla Vista. A fun idea would be to do a rainbow picnic where each member of your group brings food, snacks, and drinks from an assigned color. Luckily, the weather seems to be getting warmer, so, hopefully, the weather will be warm enough for a cute dress and the sun will provide the perfect lighting for photos.
Whatever you end up doing with your friends, make sure everyone has fun! And don’t worry about what others are doing—staying in to watch a romcom with friends is just as good of an idea as going out!