By Anonymous Cupid
Regardless of how we think about relationships and how much commitment is put into making something work, there are those who have not, nor have they ever, taken the first step in securing themselves a significant other. Valentine's Day 2026 has arrived, and while the couples jump with glee, the singles scoff and seethe. Don’t take this the wrong way, this isn’t me trying to insult those who are single, but just saying that in a time where people celebrate their haves on romantic metaphorical boat rides, single people are in the water swimming by themselves. It makes it less hard for some to rock the boat and roll their eyes over the unavoidable essence of love in the atmosphere. So, what’s the purpose of this article other than wallowing and reflecting in my own lonely singleness during a period of love? I’d recommend some movies or tv shows, but I have a feeling that others have locked in what they want to watch with their significant others. Nope, I’m specifically going to try and justify this loneliness to get through the week like a real survivor *sob*.
Anyway, being single isn’t all bad. Some of us prefer the solitude it offers. For some, they are waiting for the right person to walk into their lives. They just haven’t found the right person yet to fall head over heels for, which is understandable. That’s romantic, probably a hopeless romantic, which is the dream for all. As long as you have hope, you can stay focused on the task of not giving a lick of what’s happening around you. The other reason is due to circumstance in which you probably can’t afford to be romancing right now. Literally, since you don’t have the money, which isn’t what hopeless romantics believe! Love overcomes the hurdle of an empty wallet! But to probably entice someone to enter that relationship, you’d need some disposable income. But for us who justify our singleness and hide behind a mask of saying that we’re fine but not really, because we suppress this desire to not lose focus and give all our time to our scholarly studies. There’s nothing bad about that since we’re just focused on our academic priorities first and saving the hearts for later. Though, give yourself a break once in awhile. You stay focused too much and keep saying you’ll do it later and you’ll find yourself old and grumpy. Unless you’re a sociopath or a workaholic, it ain’t healthy (though it is also not healthy for the two exceptions).
Though I am justifying being single, I’m not suggesting loneliness. Hang out with your friends - it’s a time for bromances or girls’ nights to wallow together and laugh at the friend who’s missing from the party because they’ve got a date. Joking! But other than hanging out with friends to take your mind off the stress of school or being single, if you’re really socially single, read a book or watch a movie, maybe even watch a movie about being lonely. Heh, ain’t that a kicker. How about actual romantic movies to fill that void which is a luxury you can’t afford or will not buy for now? Well, I won’t go into the details of the movies so if you want to find out more about them, google them yourselves: About Time, The Princess Bride, La La Land, The Notebook, You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Ghost, 500 Days of Summer (for the hopeless romantics), Kate & Leopold, The Corpse Bride, The Lake House, Titanic, Allied, Her (actually relevant considering the leap of AI and how it might affect a lot of lonely people in the world), Serendipity, Grease, Dirty Dancing, Jerry Maguire, The Sound of Music, Notting Hill, The Wedding Singer. There are some I can think of. I’d recommend more, though I think this is a good amount of some good ones along with some classics to fill up the lonely week.
If you’re dead set on wanting to find someone this week or this year, and are seeking some advice, well, you probably shouldn’t take advice from some random person you find on the internet, much less a newspaper. Anywho, here is my advice anyway! For guys, you think Casanova just went around, and all the ladies flocked to him!? Probably. He is Casanova after all. But you’re not Casanova! I know. Shocker. So, that means they’re probably not going to approach you. If you have someone you like, just go ahead and ask them out. While we’ve all probably heard this line, it is true. The worst she can say is no. Don’t be weird, though. If she does say no, pack your bags and leave. Also, make sure not to open with asking them out. If it’s an unrequited yearning of love, it’s probably better to start a small conversation, compliments, and then asking them out. Of course, it won’t work for just anyone or everyone, since we’re all different and we all have our different wants and likes and probably your significant other is interested in someone else. Ouch. But that’s life. It just meant that they weren’t for you. Don’t be down in the dumpster fire because you lost your first battle. Don’t be a casualty in one skirmish. It’s the first campaign of a war you’re fighting. Survive. I can’t speak for other genders too much, but if you’re interested in a guy, best to be just upfront with it if, again, it’s an unrequited love. Take charge and be the one to ask them out, because they got cold feet. That’s a good foundation for a relationship, knowing that one is willing to step in as a shoulder to lean on for the other who is stumbling.
I talked a lot about unrequited love. I guess I’ve emphasized it greatly because its better to know whether you were successful or not in getting their heart rather than chasing them in your dreams. In any case, that’s all the messy spiel I’ve wanted to yap about.