By Alex Berry, Third year Ancient History
The Croft Magazine // **Huge, lonely sigh** It’s Valentine’s Day - again. Hear me out, here’s how to enjoy it.
It’s the one day of the year that allows, if not encourages, various things that I have deemed awful: public gushing, forced appreciation of one’s significant other and the panic buying of teddies. Add into the mix the potential of a lockdown extension and the looming threat of Zoom quizzes making a comeback (**shudder**) and it looks like Valentine’s Day 2021 is set to be one of the worst on record.
If you hadn’t already guess as much, I’m a firm renouncer of Valentine’s Day; I can’t stand its fluffiness and all that it contributes to the capitalist nightmare. In spite of this, I would like to encourage unity amongst us all this month. Cheering ourselves up from the rubbish year we’ve had is the perfect reason to spread some love and indulge in 2021’s Valentine’s Day.
We all deserve to have a lovely day this Valentine’s – perhaps you might even like to use it as an excuse to dress up and get out of your pyjamas? Or not, it’s totally up to you. Whether you’d normally spend it frolicking in the long grass with your significant other or getting drunk with your mates, I think the key to celebrating is self-love. After all, if you’ve been stuck in lockdown with your partner I can only imagine that you’re pretty sick of looking at their face – why not enjoy some well-deserved ‘me time’?
Cleanliness is key. In order to avoid feeling like a rotten egg on your special day (and to ward off coronavirus), have a shower or run yourself a nice hot bath. Wash your hair if perhaps you’re feeling adventurous and get into some comfy silky pyjamas. Do whatever it is you need to make yourself feel good. Obviously, whatever you do, don’t put on jeans. That’s taking it too far.
For me, there is nothing better at temporarily relieving symptoms of loneliness and singleness than a good romcom. A healthy dose of Reynolds, Efron or Kutcher really ought to do the trick. Get yourself some treats (my personal choice this year will be popcorn and prosecco) and consult our good friends over at Netflix. Personal recommendations include Definitely Maybe (2008), When Harry Met Sally (1989) and 13 Going on 30 (2004). Trust me, young Ruffalo is a dream.
If you're not a film fanatic, the Netflix series Bridgerton (2020) could be an entertaining option - or perhaps you’d like to experience your very own excruciating frustration at watching the Jim and Pam story gradually unfold on The Office US (2005-2013)? I will absolutely be spending my Valentine’s Day shouting ‘Why is she with him when she could be with HIM?!’ at the TV. Whether it’s a working day in Scranton or a lengthy courtship with the mysterious Duke of Hastings, a brief escape from your current surroundings via the miracle of telly will definitely do you some good.
For those of you who are still able to use your brains at this point (congratulations, good for you), Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to get under a blanket, eat chocolate and spend hours delving into the plethora of romantic literature that we have available to us. And if you begin to lose interest, or get a stiff neck, there’s probably a film version so feel free to move between camps. We’re not strict here.
Even some of the best Richard Curtis films or David Nicholls novels can’t quite match the immense catharsis of a good love song. Whether it’s pop, indie or Motown; most songs are about love, making a pair of headphones the perfect Valentine’s Day companion.
So there we have it, that should be plenty for you to distract yourself with. Maybe you’ll even enjoy the hours until we reach **big inhale** 15th February when normal procedures can resume and PDA is rightfully frowned upon again.
The main thing to remember is that it’s going to be a crap one for most people; rest assured that you won’t be missing out. You might be physically alone, there is plenty you can do to make yourself feel loved. I hope you have a brilliant day and if not, we go again next year. Good luck!
Featured Image: Epigram / Alex Berry
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