Why Celebrating Valentine's Day Alone Won't Be So Bad

Every phase in life comes with challenges. As a teenager navigating the hormone-filled halls of high school, you are faced with puberty, first kisses, drama among friends, finding a date to prom...the list continues.

As a college student, you are often away from home for the first time. You are now a lone sailor in a sea of professors, roommates, bad dining hall food, and the simultaneous (yet opposite) pressures of doing well in school and having too much fun. And then, sometime around age 21 or 22, most people graduate and ominously enter “the real world.”

That was me last year, earning a degree from a school I loved and being thrown into the reality of what comes after college. And actually, the reality is that no one has a clue what comes after college. Being in your twenties brings with it a whole lot of questions that all have the same answer: “I don’t know.”

It is for this reason that I think this particular decade deserves a little extra care on the part of the people living it—especially around the upcoming Valentines Day.

As a 23 year old, I am constantly bombarded with pressure and reminders of other people's perfect relationships. When I go on Facebook, I see statuses and photos posted by friends who are doing really cool things that I’m not doing. I see relationships change and cute couple pictures that I sometimes like and sometimes want to scream at. But let’s be honest—we all usually click that “like” button even if that picture just made us insanely jealous.

When I read the newspaper, I see stories about young entrepreneurs or inspiring speakers or amazing people who have clearly found themselves already. And then I remember that I’m still sort of hazy on that front.

When I go on Pinterest because I’m bored in the doctor’s office waiting room or because I am procrastinating, I see dozens of pins on “how to dress more professionally” or “how to get perfect abs in 6 weeks” or “ten ways to repurpose old t-shirts.” Now I have suddenly been reminded that maybe I don’t dress well enough, that I don’t have abs, and also that I should really clean my closet.

That is the lifestyle of a 23-year-old. We wake up and check our iPhones for emails, texts, Instagram notifications, and job postings. We then go about our day and remember that time is running out because these are the best years of our lives. Then we panic because we are thinking, "Oh my goodness, I have no idea what I want."

Followed by the thought of "I haven't found 'the one' yet and some of my friends are getting engaged."

This time of year is one that especially lends itself to comparison and frustration. Whether you celebrate National Singles Awareness Day or Cute Couple Awareness Day, don't let this one day bring you down.

I am going to use Valentines Day as a reminder of love, plain and simple. Whether I am in a happy relationship or not, I can still recognize the One who has always loved me wholly and unconditionally.

If you are on a date with your significant other or if you have a date with Netflix, it doesn't matter. Know that someone is loving you this Valentines Day. You are worth loving.

So this year I’m going to read a book that I've been meaning to read, wear sweatpants, and buy too much clearance candy in red heart boxes on February 15. One day for me, not for my boyfriend or my friends or my job. It doesn't have to be on February 14. The important thing is doing it at all.

If you are in your twenties and a little bit confused like I am, forget about relationships and jobs that you have or don’t have. Or if you are not in your twenties, I would love to hear how you stayed happy and positive on Valentine's Day. Leave me a comment below.

Take Valentines Day as a personal reminder that a great love exists whether or not you are in love. Open your heart to the possibility of love, but don't stress about the day. You deserve a little chocolate and time for you right now.