By Dan Teano
Lifestyle Editor
If Saturdays’ are for the boys, then brace yourself for this Wednesday, guys. On Feb. 14, couples all around the world will exchange gifts, cards, and smooches, leaving single males and females cringing on the sidelines.
Some people love Valentine’s Day; others despise it wholeheartedly, especially single guys. When our friends take out their partners’ to candle-lit dinner dates, we’re stuck inside doing homework and playing Fortnite (sadly, not by choice). For couples, Wednesday is Valentine’s Day; for single girls, it’s Galentine’s Day; for single guys, it’s just another day. But, guys, we don’t have to pretend like this day isn’t special when everyone else is celebrating love. We don’t have to stew in our self-pity; we can choose to not enviously admire the onslaught of dark chocolate and roses we see on Instagram. Why can’t we make this day special for ourselves too? Just like it’s a Saturday night, we should be able to kick back and celebrate each other’s company, without regard for what our taken friends are doing. Let’s make a holiday out of this otherwise very forgettable Wednesday. Since single girls have a “Galentine’s Day,” we should have a “Palentine’s Day.”
“Palentine’s Day” is everything it sounds like: Valentine’s day infused with bromance. Instead of awkwardly asking someone to be our Valentine, we can commemorate our own holiday with our pals.
Keeping with tradition, “Palentine’s Day” is still centered around love, adoration, and generous acts of kindness. It’s important to note that friends express their appreciation for each other differently than a dating couple would. Because of this, you might be wondering how you can appropriately shower your pals with gratitude and affection without being seen as uncool. In the spirit of St. Valentine (who probably had several pals), below is a list of activities you should do to spread the love amongst your bros on this very special day.
1. Send this text message to as many pals as you can: “Yo, man. I appreciate you.” As Valentine’s Day is notorious for the millions of Hallmark cards sold, it’s only right that we greet our pals in the same loving spirit. However, keep it short and sweet. When you text a message like this to your friend, you do not want to come off as overly emotional—after all, mutual pals don’t fare too well when it comes to receiving brotherly affection. Thus, this short text message carries your appreciation across in the most effective dosage.
2. Do more than a “dap.” When we see a pal on campus, we either stop to talk, or we talk on the go. Typically, pals will “dap” each other up, and say something in passing like, “yo, what’s good, bro?” This Wednesday, however, go the extra mile. Aside from your traditional handshake, stop to talk to them. Ask them about their thoughts on the Eagles winning the Super Bowl; or, better yet, compliment their outfit. Even though it may seem like us guys don’t care about the clothes we choose to put on, that’s exactly the look we’re going for: relaxed and comfortable with a low-key attitude. Pals can literally make each other’s day by complimenting their outfit of choice.
When it comes to celebrating “Palentine’s Day,” a little goes a long way. You don’t have to put up a picture of your pals on Instagram. And certainly, you don’t have to take your pal out on a dinner date; just doing the two small activities listed above is more than enough.
While it’s easy to mope about the romantic love we don’t have, instead, we can choose to be grateful for the pals we’ve been blessed with since day one. Throughout your “Palentine’s Day,” repeat the two activities listed above, and eventually you’ll feel like Wednesday was specifically designed for you. In fact, you don’t have to wait for Wednesday to do those things. Do them today, tomorrow, and the day after “Palentine’s Day.” Remember, every day is “Palentine’s Day” when you’re with the right pals.