So, Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, and for those of us who are terminally single, this is one of the most irritating times of the year. Insipid heart shaped decorations, those chalky heart-shaped candies with sappy romantic messages, the mountains of heart-shaped candies that pervade every place you go, the greeting cards, the flowers, the jewelry store commercials on ESPN; they’re everywhere, and they’re really annoying.
But don’t despair fellow single-folk. Being single for Valentine’s Day is actually a blessing in disguise. I know you don’t believe me, so let me make my case:
For starters, you aren’t responsible for ANYTHING in the days and weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day. Your committed friends are racking their brains, trying to come up with that perfect romantic idea to impress their sweetheart. Not me. I’ve got other things to do. I’ve got textbooks to read and externships to propose. “Heroes” and “Burn Notice” are back on the air. Basically, I don’t have time to think about the perfect gift for that special-someone. In all seriousness, gift-giving is often a pointless endeavor, and sometimes, no matter how hard you work at finding the perfect gift, there’s still a mathematical probability that your special somebody might not even appreciate it. We single people don’t have to worry about all the vagaries of gift-giving, and this is a good thing.
Second, have you ever sat down and thought about all the money you can save when you’re not forced into a gift-giving situation? It can really add up. I’m not just talking about Valentine’s Day either. Think about all the birthdays, anniversaries, dinners, lunches and other miscellaneous money-spending opportunities that you get to avoid if you’re single. We’re not talking about a few piddling dollars, we’re talking about a few THOUSAND dollars. Your friends who are worrying about that special someone don’t have that luxury. You on the other hand, can laugh all the way to the bank.
Third, did I mention that you’re not responsible for ANYTHING on Valentine’s Day? It sounds a little repetitive from my first point, but there are some important differences. Not only are you not responsible for cooking up some kind of grand romantic plan for your sweetie, you’re also relieved of the obligation to put a plan into action. This is huge. Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year. Saturdays are a hot commodity to us law students. Do you really want to give up a precious Saturday night in the beginning of the semester? You’re giving up one prime weekend night. Once February ends, there aren’t many weekends left to party and behave irresponsibly. The opportunity cost for putting a romantic plan into action is simply too high. We the single people aren’t encumbered with these opportunity cost calculations. We’re free to do whatever we want. I’ll take my freedom of choice and the flexibility; you can keep your sweetheart and your dinner plans.
Being single on Valentine’s Day isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s actually a good thing. You might not believe me, but for all the true believers out there, I’ll be leading the all-singles celebration at the Northside Tap Room. We can celebrate our freedom over cocktails. Lots of them. . .
Chas is a 2L and can be reached at forum@valpo.edu.
Editors Note: The Northside Tap Room is where dreams go to die.
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