Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that secretly feels like it is a scam to make people in a relationship spend money on chocolates and flowers for a significant other.  For others, Valentine’s Day has become a sort of “single awareness” day, a reminder of the fact that they are not seeing anybody at the moment. This promotes the idea that being single is a negative thing and that to feel fulfilled you need to be involved with somebody. However, this is clearly not true. A lot of us tend to forget (myself included) that Valentine’s Day is also “El día de la amistad y el amor” which is Spanish for the day of celebrating friendship and love. Valentine’s Day does not have to be about acknowledging romantic relationships, but can be about platonic and family ones as well. Another thing to keep in mind is that Valentine’s Day can also become a day where you recognize the love you have for yourself. Most of the time we do not give ourselves enough credit for everything we accomplish. The daily routine associated with being a college student can consume us and make us forget about the importance of self-care and love. Give yourself, your friends and your family some deserved love and attention this Valentine’s Day.  Whether you are single or currently seeing someone, this article will help give you ideas on how to celebrate Valentine’s Day by practicing self-care and spending time with the ones you care about.

Lip scrubs and face masks:

There is no need to spend an unnecessary amount of money to have a mini-spa or relaxing self-care night with your friends. Making your own lip scrubs and face masks is incredibly easy. Most of them utilize ingredients you can find in any basic kitchen. The ingredients you need to create your own lip scrub are sugar (it doesn’t really matter what kind), honey, vanilla or coconut oil and a small jar to store the ingredients. Start with a teaspoon of sugar and then portion everything else out depending on how much you need to make a paste. You can also add food coloring to give the lip scrubs a more personal touch. Face masks are a bit more tricky due to the increased variety of options. There are different types of ingredients you can use depending on if you want a face mask for skin that is dry, oily, sensitive, a combination, or if you experience acne or redness. Once you figure out what problems you want your face masks to target, then you can determine what ingredients you should use. To find the specific ingredients to use you can Google “DIY face masks” for your particular need.  

Treat Yourselves:

Dress up and spend some time with your friends on Valentine’s Day. There is no need to stay in and stick to pajamas if you don’t have a date for the night. Dress to impress yourself and feel good. Throw a mini Valentine’s Day-themed party with friends and splurge on desserts and drinks. Let your friends know how much you appreciate and love them. 

Reflect:

Take some time to meditate and clear your head of all of your stresses and worries. Give yourself a mental and physical break. Do an activity you enjoy or go on a simple walk while blasting your favorite songs. Setting aside the time to focus on relieving yourself of the pressures of everyday life can leave you feeling refreshed and ready for the next day. Show yourself some love by spoiling yourself this Valentine’s Day.                 

Contact Angie Diaz at [email protected].