By Olivia Hill, Third-year, Molecular Medicine
Valentine’s Day is comparable to Marmite for a lot of people – you either love it or you hate it. That is certainly the attitude that was gauged when Epigram interviewed single students about their plans for the day. Surprisingly, many refused to give a quote, aware that their name featured in an article about being single would be too ‘humbling’, exposing them to their peers.
With a report from 2023 estimating that 57.41 per cent of University of Bristol students are in a relationship, our campus is ranked the third most romantic in the UK. It is therefore unsurprising that many single students in Bristol are trying to ensure that a night not spent with a significant other is a night not wasted. If this is you, fear not, Epigram has you covered.
'Bristol comes alive on Valentine’s Day, especially when it falls end-of-week'
With Valentine’s Day falling on a Friday this year, there is more potential for a big night out than there has been in recent years. If you are looking for some direction, Thekla is holding a romance-themed boat party, while Clock Factory is offering a free DnB rave. For something a little different, Lost Horizon HQ is hosting Ceilidh band, Call Me Ceilidh – arguably the perfect way to dance the night away, whether it’s one of your fellow housemates or the dashing stranger you meet mid-reel.
For more student-focused nights out, OMG and SWX are both hosting traffic light parties, while Brass Pig is promising 5 tequila rose for £10 and free entry for anyone dressed in pink. Bristol comes alive on Valentine’s Day, especially when it falls end-of-week. While it is easy to drown your sorrows with a bottle of Sainsbury’s wine and back-to-back episodes of One Day, Epigram’s research suggests that students aren’t staying in this year.
So, what are your fellow students doing this Valentine’s Day? Ruby, a second-year English student, is in the process of convincing her housemates to join her on a four-way date: ‘I’m calling them my pretend boyfriends, they keep saying no but I know they’ll give in eventually.’ When asked how she feels about not having a Valentine this year, she sounds optimistic, ‘I still want to spend the day with people I love, just because I don’t have an official date this year doesn’t mean that’s my decided future.’
This is a shared feeling among many of the students interviewed. Cian, a third-year Classics student, is also hoping to spend it with friends, while also keeping up his yearly traditions. ‘I love to get my mum and my Nan gifts every Valentine’s’, he told Epigram, ‘I see the day as a way to show all the people in your life that you love them.’ First-year student, Lilly, is also planning on spending it with friends. ‘My flatmates and I really want to see the new Bridget Jones movie’, she says, ‘the fact that it comes out on Valentine’s Day is even better.’
Other students, however, are adopting a very different attitude. ‘I honestly haven’t thought that far ahead’, says Archie, a third-year Engineering student, ‘all I know is that I’ll be avoiding the people in my house in relationships. I’ve got a bet on with a friend at the moment – the first to be in a relationship wins. Both of us are currently losing.’ A similar attitude was shared by Mitchell, a Biomed student: ‘I’ll be at least five pints deep’, was the only quote received before moving on to more pressing topics of conversation.
Despite the anti-romantic approach some students are taking, many are keen to embrace the day’s romantic opportunity. Venetia, a third-year Marketing student, is eager not to waste a second of her Valentine’s Day: ‘I plan on hiking Pen y Fan to watch the sunrise, and then hopefully ending up wherever the Water Polo team is in the evening, I’m going to make the most of the day.’ When pressed further, she revealed she doesn’t know anyone on the Water Polo team and is just a fan of their work.
Furthermore, first-year Law student Amelia is also jumping on the opportunities that Valentine’s Day has to offer. ‘I’m hoping to use the U1 as my own speed dating tool’, she explained, ‘I’ll be riding around on it all night hoping to meet someone.’ Any trace of this being a joke was soon dispelled by the conviction in her eyes.
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It’s easy to wallow the 14th of February away. Nevertheless, the University of Bristol’s single students are embracing the day and choosing to celebrate in their own unique ways. Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate all different forms of love, whether it be platonic, romantic or potential. One of the privileges of being young and living in a city as vibrant as Bristol is being able to exploit what this city has to offer. Whether that’s using public transport to manipulate your own meet-cute or a La Rocca night you won’t remember, take advantage of what is at your disposal.
Featured Image: Epigram / Nel Roden
What are your Valentine’s Day plans?
