Rant: There’s so much cheese, I fear a heart attack from cholesterol.
Rave: It’s an excuse to gorge on excessive amounts of chocolate and sugar.

Rant: All the fuss about having a “significant other” to exchange gifts with– I believe this keeps us from recognizing the individuals in our lives who have always been there for us, who are truly significant and loved and who are there for us everyday, not just on a “holiday”.
Rave: Getting little notes and hearts from your best friends, reminders that we are loved.

Rant: Restaurants are so full on Valentine’s Day!
Rave: Eating LOTS of chocolate!

Rant: The pressure! To have a boyfriend, to give and receive awesome gifts, there are way too many expectations.
Rave: It’s nice to have a little romance sometimes, especially if you have a boyfriend who mostly lives for video games and soccer.

Rant: The fake “manufactured” feeling of it all.
Rave: Candy discounts February 15th.

Rant: The awkward feeling when other people are getting Valentine’s or flowers and you’re not.
Rave: The “girl-power” feeling between the single girls. Who needs a boyfriend when you can celebrate your freedom with your girls?

Once again, February 14th rolls around, and the mass-media marketing machine is upon us.

What does this mean for your average guy? With all the high expectations and the unrealistic images out there, it can be hard to come up with a gift or something original without coming off as a cliche. Here’s a few tips that will hopefully make it easier for both of you:

Make It Personal Something meaningful like a photo album or tickets to a concert or event I’m into shows you’re thinking about me and have put some effort into it.

Be Low-Maintenance I’d rather have a girl who appreciated something fun and from-the-heart than someone who focused on the price tag.

He’s Not A Mind-Reader Drop some hints. The poor guy probably feels enough pressure from the hype that surrounds this day. Help him out a little. Suggest something fun that you’d like to do.

Be Realistic You can’t expect a guy flipping fries to come up with a diamond necklace. If your expectations aren’t over-the-top, you leave him room to impress you no matter what his budget is.

Above All: Make it Fun At the end of the day, it’s JUST one day. And whether you spend it having a picnic, ice skating or eating sushi, make it fun, relax and enjoy it.

About Karl the Kiwi

Moved to Canada for the experience, stayed because he fell in love with a girl named Jen.

Hey Ladies!
So Valentine’s Day is almost here… but why should you spend it drooling over the one you love? Get up and sing your heart out with these songs about loving your single status!
I’m single… and loving it! And I plan to stay that way for a while. At the moment, music is my only boyfriend!
 
1. Single Ladies – Beyonce
2. Independent Woman – Destiny’s Child
3. I Don’t Need A Man – Pussycat Dolls
4. Single – Natasha Bedingfield
5. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor

About Tracey

I’m a young girl with big dreams living in a tiny little corner of Ireland! As you probably guessed music is my life and means almost everything to me. I laugh way too much and spend too much time with my guitar! My nails are always painted black and I have way too many earrings to fit in my room! I love Paramore and hope someday to be the next Hayley Williams. I love spending time with my amazing family and friends and making the most out of life!
You can check me out at www.youtube.com/XXxxtraceyfxxXX

I’m not sure yet, but my single friends and I usually throw a party and watch horror movies. You think that’s messed up? Just think about all the naked babies with arrows!
~Sarah G

One of my best friends is having a sort of anti-Valentine party– all single girls, attire will consist of pajamas/ sweat pants, some sort of pinata that we can whack at, all complete with food and conversation, girl-style.
~Cat

I’m going to be out of town, so my boyfriend and I will be apart, but we’re not really into cheesy Valentine’s stuff anyway. I’m planning to spend the day hanging with my Mom. Gotta celebrate ALL of your loved ones!
~Jen P

Well, I’m single this St. Valentine’s and I don’t plan on going out because usually you see all those couples and frankly I just don’t want to see couples all lovey-dovey. Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against that, but it’s the kind of thing you don’t want rubbed in your face when you’re single. haha. Anyways, I plan on watching ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (my favorite movie). And if I still am not tired, I’ll watch Gilmore Girls. Gotta love Gilmore Girls!
~Jenny H

My boyfriend and I like to play board games a ton, so we’ll probably have a tournament. We like doing stuff like that. Or maybe go bowling or something equally random.
~Dawn

Amour! Amour! Amour! Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and so are heart-shaped balloons, a plethora of red roses and yummilicious chocolates! Looking around, February 14th seems like a day only for lovers, but guess what, it’s not! It’s a day to celebrate and express our love, whether it’s the romantic or platonic kind. It is a very special time that makes us more conscious of our love for the people that we care most about.

The society we live in is so fast-paced!  People seem to have the need to always be doing something – who often finds themselves buying energy drinks or an iced-venti caramel macchiato just so they can stay awake to do more stuff, hmmm? Productivity is a good thing; however, we should create a balance so we’re not always “doing”, but rather “being”. Our daily routines barely leave us enough time to articulate our love for others – that’s why we should all take advantage of Valentine’s Day to convey how we feel to one another.

Instead of avoiding it, let’s embrace the day and celebrate our love for our friends, family and ourselves!

1. Make plans to do something that day with your girlfriends: make reservations at a nice restaurant (make sure to order dessert).
2. Go have a campfire under the stars (share memorable stories about each other).
3. Go to a drive-in or park theater and have a picnic.
4. Have a sleep over, just like old times, yay!
5. Play board games, watch movies, rummage through old letters and photos.
Don’t feel like spending the day with others? That’s alright!  
1. Make some hot tea or chocolate, get cozied up with a nice book or movie.
2. Buy a love outfit (an outfit that reveals your interpretation of what love is, wear it).
3. Give yourself a makeover.
4. Go outside – take pictures of what you love about the world around you.
5. Listen to music, sing, dance around.

The possibilities are endless!

Let’s all partake in a delightful project, shall we? It’s based on something I found in a book about love by Karen Porter Sorensen. It’s a section called Love Research Homework – she asks her readers to participate in being proactive about love! It doesn’t even have to be Valentine’s Day, start before! Let us challenge ourselves, be inspired and enraptured as we take on small and fun endeavors that will help us to express and become more reflective of the love that we have for ourselves and our loved ones. Here are some examples of Love Research Homework from Sorensen’s book:

1. What are your earliest memories of love? Reflect and write about it. Smile at strangers.

2. What do you love about yourself? Write it down, don’t be modest. Buy an outrageous mirror. Hold someone.

Never knew spreading and sharing love was that effortless, huh? Try making a list of more Love Homework for yourself, friends and family. 

About Maria

Maria Luntao is on an odyssey to uncover the deep mysteries of the universe! She has an unceasing curiosity for the world around her, which is one of the main reasons as to why she pursued education and teaching. Learning never goes out of style; it’s how we continue to grow and she wants to share that with the young people everywhere. While she is passionate about teaching, she also enjoys writing. It’s a very fun, creative and expressive mode of communicating with each other and to the world. In a society where everyone is so busy, Maria likes to make time for some R&R: quiet drives, “veg-out” with hot tea, reading, having picnics in the car, sing-alongs with friends, and just listening to awesome music.