Junior classical languages and literatures and history major
Though it has been said many times and in many ways, here is yet another blurb about the importance of Valentine’s Day for single people. There are myriad articles like this, but a lot miss the mark.
For example, ones that implore you to celebrate being single do a disservice. Sure, this might be a good thing for some — and personal empowerment is always a good thing — but studies show again and again that people with partners live longer and are, on average, happier than those without. As great as it is to be single, most would probably say that living longer and being happier is better.
Instead, the focus should be discovering who you are and learning to love what you find. The overused and cliche phrase “You can’t love anyone until you learn to love yourself” is overused for a reason. It’s the same reason they call partnership “sharing” your life with another person and not “supporting” or “being dependent” on their life.
Another pitfall of these “singles” articles is what they suggest you do. Many will conclude with a rallying cry to watch Netflix in your pajamas while shoveling food down until you fall into a warm food coma. Glorious as that sounds, the whole point of singling out a day for love is to do something different.
If you think about this in a “couples” mindset, it starts to make more sense. If you are sleeping with someone, see them every day and perhaps share a toothbrush with them, you will want to do something special for them, something that makes them happy. By contrast, I sleep with myself every day (along with all those other requirements), so why would I not take myself out for some live jazz, falafels and a trip to the bookstore for a gift?
Single people: We are being afforded a great opportunity to sit comfortably in our own skin for once. While daily maintenance is required, we should not underestimate the importance of special days set aside for just this purpose. So get planning; I guarantee restaurants will have at least a few tables for one still available.
Erik Shell is a junior classical languages and literatures and history major. He can be reached at eshelldbk@gmail.com.
