(Screenshot, courtesy NBC)
If you are a fan of the television show Parks and Recreation with Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, you may remember the season two episode where Leslie celebrates “Galentine’s Day” on February 13. In the episode, she and her girlfriends ditch their partners and go out for breakfast to chat and just celebrate each other and their friendship.
And while, if you do have an S.O., Valentine’s Day is a great day to tell your partner how much you love them, it is also important to appreciate all of the other supportive people in your life that you love too. Because amazing friends can truly be such a blessing in your life!
Now February, at least to me, is one of my favorite months because of all the Valentine’s Day decorations. I mean pink is the best color ever, and having everything decorated in pink, red, and white hearts really makes the cold and sometimes dreary month much more tolerable. But no doubt, the holiday does not feel like it did back in kindergarten—remember those adorable little mailboxes and Valentine’s Day cards you would get for your whole class.
I have absolutely no idea why we don’t do that anymore either.
But Galentine’s Day is a way to bring all of that magic back!
This doesn’t mean that you have to go out and pay for an expensive lunch or dinner or go out on some extravagant activity with your friends. You could all just try to carve out time away from schoolwork and other activities to hang out in your dorm room and just vibe to music while eating some chocolate or put on a fun or romantic movie in the lounge. Some of my favorite Valentine’s Day-esque movies are “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” (my friend Hannah made sure I included this one), “An Affair to Remember (1957)”, “Clueless,” “Legally Blonde,” and “When Harry Met Sally.”
Also, cute “I love you” or “I appreciate you” cards also go a long way, and you could even make an activity out of it. The stupid and sometimes inappropriate Valentine’s Day cards are even better- and it would definitely be a fun time making those with all of your closest friends.
Or, if you do have a little bit of cash saved up from your time working over winter break or have some Christmas money left over, you and your pals can check out some of the great places to eat in downtown Kent (don’t slum it at the dining halls guys). My friends and I are fans of Fresco (Mexican food), Paninis (more like American food), The Fruit Stand (acai bowls), and our personal favorite for dessert: Insomnia Cookies.
But overall, this should just be a time for you and the people who make you feel good and who you love to hang out with and take a break from the stressful times during college.
Great friends truly can make even the darkest days that much better.
So, happy Galentine’s Day everyone!
