Not your average holiday...

So I’ve been thinking about Valentine’s Day a lot. Now, before you stop reading, I’m not talking about it in a “Woe is me. I’m a lonely, single lady… whatever will I do on February 14th” kind of way. I think there is something great about a day where you take a break and show the people you love most in the world how much you really care because, as we all know, doing it year round would be EXHAUSTING. Joking aside, I think that a day about love is something great for this world.

What I don’t agree with is the idea that the love that is celebrated on this day has to be in the context of a monogamous relationship. As the 14th grows closer, I hear more and more grumbles around campus from my single peers who might not have someone to go out with on Valentine’s Day. I just want to say to all of them, and you, that that is totally okay! This Valentine’s Day, I do have a date- a date with some of my closest friends here at school.

I got this idea while watching an episode of Parks and Recreation (If you don’t watch it, START). In the show, Leslie Knope creates a holiday called Galentine’s Day. It’s a holiday on February 13th where you celebrate all of your girlfriends. I was watching this, and I thought, “Hey. That’s kind of great.” I know it was supposed to be a cheesy joke, but it was actually kind of a cute idea. To make a long story short, I decided to tweak their idea to make it a little more inclusive.

That’s when I thought of Palentine’s Day: a holiday that you spend with your pals, and you remind all the people in your life that you love them. Maybe you already have plans with a significant other or someone new on Valentine’s Day, but if your February 14th happens to be open, you can join us in starting Palentine’s Day.

We had a lot of fun here at the WC making up rhymes and photo shopping Palentine’s Day cards. Feel free to print out some of our cards and make your own to remind your friends just how much you care about them!