Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching.
We all know what means: the special day to do something romantic with your lover. It also means lots of hearts, the colors pink and red, and candy for half-price the day after.
So, what is there to do on this hyper-commercialized holiday? The standard involves a fancy restaurant— like The Cheesecake Factory or Top of the Hub— with pricey meals and dim candlelight. But what about those of us who want something a bit different? Or maybe for those who want to save money? Those tired of the same thing every year? Better yet, what about those without— gasp— a lover?
I’ve never been interested in the typical activities on Valentine’s Day, or a fan of Valentine’s Day in general (but that’s a whole different article), so here are some non-traditional ideas for the annual love fest:
1.Hang out with your friends: You can be romantic with your significant other any other time of the year. You don’t need a special day. Rather, your friends may need you, particularly if they’re single. Go have a ladies night in with pizza, movies, and stories. Or go hang out with your group of guys and avoid anything you’ll regret the next day. Remember the secret ingredient: food. There’s nothing like good food to bring people together.
2.Watch “Deadpool”: As any Marvel or comics fan will tell you, the new superhero film “Deadpool” is coming to theaters on Friday, February 12th, 2016. That’s two days before Valentine’s Day. Crowds at the movie theater will become a thing of the past on opening day. The movie is full of action and romance. It’s about a man willing to fight for the love of his life. It also has Ryan Reynolds as the leading actor, so plenty of eye candy.
3.Netflix and Chill: There’s nothing wrong with spending a night at home. I mean, think about it: you don’t have to dress up and there’s endless entertainment, especially if you have Netflix. There are a lot of good TV shows and movies on Netflix currently, like “Jessica Jones” and all ten seasons of “Friends.” And while you can actually watch Netflix, what’s the point of Netflix and chill, if all you want to do is one half of the equation?
4.Explore the City: Boston is a beautiful city with diversity and life in all places. You may know all the touristy sites, but I know for a fact that there are hidden spots that could take your breath away. Go find them! Boston is easy to get around if you take the T (or Uber if it’s too cold to walk).
5.Pranking: Yes, it can be mean, but it can also be really funny. For instance, you can drop fake engagement rings into drinks when you see unsuspecting happy couples at restaurants. If that kind of pranking isn’t your thing, you don’t have to break up couples just to get a laugh. There are thousands of prank ideas online to be found online with a simple Google search.
6.Work/Volunteer: Maybe you can take a break from Valentine’s Day this time around and just work to save up money for the next V-Day. Or, as an alternative, you can work on that senior thesis due at the end of the semester. Even better, you can volunteer at a local charity and help others in your community. What better way to make yourself feel better on a day that makes you feel the worst about being single?
7. Take a trip: We all know that Boston is great. Hard to believe there are other cities out there as awesome as we are, but they exist. New York, Philadelphia, or the Cape are often times one bus ride away. An alternative to the bumpy bus ride is to travel without leaving home. Decorate your place like a chic restaurant in downtown Paris with colorful lights and scrumptious food.
8.Wait 24 Hours: Hide in your house and ignore the outside world (unless you have work. Go do that). Waiting the holiday out will benefit your yearning for chocolate because most groceries and convenient stores will have all the red and pink candy your heart desires for half off. It’s like Halloween without the costumes!
9.Pillow and Blanket Fort: I remember making one of these as I was growing up. I’m sure I made one a few months ago, too. They are comfy and warm, along with being a great place to play Battleship.
10.Photo Shoots: As a photographer, I have to put this one up here. Photo shoots are a great way to pass the time, save memories, and build a portfolio. You can get all dressed up or wear relaxing clothing. Any shoot location and any time of day should count. It’s another way of expressing all those oppressed thoughts about Singles Awareness Day— I mean, Valentine’s Day.
11. Create your own holiday: “Seinfeld” created Festivus, so why can’t you create your own holiday? You can do this by eating cupcakes with Nutella or having awesome friends. You can spread it (the holiday, not Nutella) among your friends. Who knows? It may become a national holiday.
12.Concerts: There are so many concert venues in Boston that there’s bound to be a band you like performing Valentine’s Day weekend. Tickets don’t have to be expensive for a good time, either. Although you and your lover may go deaf for a bit, think of it this way: it’s a good tactic to avoid the lovey-dovey lingo all around you both.
13.House Project: If you’re actively avoiding the masses on the 14th under your blanket fort with ringing ears from the concert you just came back from, why not work on that house project you’ve been meaning to do? Painting the walls or adding some lights to your room can create a brighter atmosphere.
14.Tattoo/Piercing: Do something out of the ordinary and semi-permanent: get a tattoo or piercing. If you get a tattoo, make sure that you won’t regret it the next morning. It can be pretty expensive to remove it.