Valentine’s Day is quite possibly the most awesome holiday ever. Not the attitude you were expecting, eh? Meditate with me for a second: On what other holiday do frat bros actually make the trip to the Hamilton Flower Shop and morph into rose-bearing Prince Charmings? (Okay, kind of.)

And when else do fashion magazines advocate the gorging of full-fat froyo? On what other holiday are Lion King CVS cards with “I Love You” smothered on them deemed absolutely ador­able? And when else is eating heart-shaped chocolate cupcakes for every meal socially acceptable? For Jug’s sake, why don’t we have Valentine’s Day more often?

Sure, you could end up spending the night mourning your ex-boyfriend over a six-hour A Walk to Remember marathon. And perhaps that chiseled specimen of a man in the back of your Orgo class may seem that much farther from your grasp. But hey, those decisions to eat your feel­ings over Slices and ranch are all on you. You could actually have a great Valentine’s Day if you really wanted to! Don’t believe me? That’s the problem with Valentine’s Day.

We’ve forgotten what it’s actually about and have developed the entirely wrong mindset. Why in the world do we complain about nougat hearts and sharing the l-o-v-e? Aren’t these supposed to be happy things?

The answer to enjoying Valentine’s Day is in scoring the right attitude. Look, it’s okay if you don’t have a significant other. Really, I promise. Because no matter what Hallmark has convinced us of, I’ve got one other secret – Valentine’s Day actually isn’t about that blubbery, gushy, down­right vomit-worthy stuff.

Allow me to explain: Back in ancient Rome, 14 Christian saints kicked the bucket martyr-style. These guys were collectively called Saint Valentine. Not the most heart-jerking story in history, right? That’s because the love aspect only came into play when Sir Chaucer, author of everybody’s favorite Canterbury Tales, decided he wanted it to be that way.

What I’m trying to say is that Valentine’s Day is entirely what you make of it; each individual gives the day his or her own personal meaning.

It’s quite the Nietzsche-esque holiday when you think about it. And that is exactly why Val­entine’s Day is so great. It is a holiday for absolutely everyone! So relish it your way! Enjoy this Thanksgiving of sweet treats by camping out at Maxwell’s, or perhaps hit up the ever-romantic Rusch’s Bar with your man. If food or Chaucer-style celebrations aren’t your thing, go forth and do whatever else it is your heart desires (pun intended).

I don’t know about you, but Valentine’s Day for me is all about loving gooey caramel and won­derful friends. I am beyond psyched to walk into my 12:20 and get a napkin full of homemade baked goods. And I can’t think of a better way to spend the day than relaxing with my man, also known as one of my best friends in the world, and with all of my lovable biddies.

So take the day to share some love, too, whether it’s with your canine friend that you’re illegally housing in your townhouse, the parents you never call, your roommate or anyone else. Really, I’m sure Saint Valentine and Chaucer won’t mind.

Contact Shannon Gupta at [email protected].