Are You Single? Congrats!

Everyone has that one time of the year which they dread the most. For some, it’s going to the dentist; for others, its tax return season. For me, it used to be Valentine’s Day. Since I was a teen, all I wanted was to spend Valentine’s Day walking hand-in-hand with my handsome, parent-approved beau, unwrapping boxes of expensive chocolate truffles while the fresh scent of roses and imaginary red hearts would float around us.

Instead, I spent each Valentine’s Day alone with a sappy romantic comedy and a bag of convenience-store bought chocolates. I made every effort to drag my short-lived relationships on, just so we could at least make it to Valentine’s Day, but to not avail. Sure, trying to force someone to stay in a relationship with you just to celebrate one measly day sounds pretty ludicrous and immature. But as the years go by, I cannot help but wonder when my turn will come. What if I remain single and child-free forever? Will there never be a special moment to throw my own ostentatious party and wear a fairytale princess dress? Will nobody shower me with cards and gifts to congratulate me on my life choices? It feels sometimes as if society celebrates only one life path: the married one.

I thought I was the only one who felt this way until I saw this scene from Sex And The City.

This scene really spoke to me, and after watching it I decided I was not going to wait around anymore for prince charming to come into my life in order to feel fulfilled, happy and proud of myself. I decided to make the most out of my days as a single lady and to never pity myself again. For all the lonely hearts out there I’ve provided a few ideas below that will help you turn things around and see being single as something that can be just as fun and fulfilling as being in a relationship.

Celebrate Black Day On April 14

Black Day is an unofficial holiday in South Korea where singles get together dressed in black and eat noodles with black bean sauce, hence the name “Black Day”. Black Day is actually supposed to be an occasion for sad singles to gather and commiserate over food, but the holiday is actually taken quite lightly and seen more as an opportunity for singles to enjoy yummy Chinese-style noodles with friends. Even the Korean girl group Pascol has come out with a catchy K-pop tune called “Merry Black Day”.

Take Wedding Pictures Solo

There is no reason us single gals can’t slip into a pretty white dress and treat ourselves to a fun photo shoot! A Japanese travel agency called Cerca Travel that offers a two-day professional wedding photo shoot in Kyoto for all the single ladies out there who are looking for the real deal with a professional stylist, body treatment and all.

Now, $3,000 might be a little too much moolah to dish out on two days. A much more economical alternative is a wedding dress cafe . These are ultra girly coffee shops that rent out wedding dresses for $10.00, so that you can take pictures dressed in wedding dresses with your friends. This is a really fun and affordable way to spend the afternoon with your besties!

Throw A Clothing Swap Party

Clothing swap parties are crazy fun and super easy to host. All you need to do is invite all your girlfriends to your house and ask them to bring clothes, accessories and jewelry that they no longer want. You can also make it a potluck party so that you don’t have to worry about cooking. Some people like to hang all the items and give out tickets for girls can take turns picking the item of their choice. I, however, like to make things wild and messy by dumping all the contents together in the middle of the room and then letting the girls just dive in the pile! The chaotic “first grab, first get” method is way more exciting, and it forces everyone to loosen up and go crazy!

Go On Dates And Be Easy About It

Just because you’re single doesn’t mean you can’t let yourself be spoiled to a nice dinner every now and then. Going on a date doesn’t mean you are getting married to the person, so even if you are not super into the guy, just see it as a fun way to get out of the house and get to know somebody. We put too much pressure on ourselves when we go on dates thinking that if we didn’t like the guy then the date was a complete fail. This is far from true. Every date is an opportunity to learn more about yourself, your likes and dislikes, and to see what kind of guys are out there.

Go On Dates With Yourself

A lot of singles think that going out alone is pitiful because it means that there was nobody else who wanted to spend time with them. The truth is that if you can’t even enjoy one evening with yourself, then how do you expect others to want to date you? When you date yourself you increase your self-worth by proving how pleasurable and fun it is to be you. Make it a habit to treat yourself like a queen, and do things you truly enjoy. It might be eating your favorite food, going for a walk somewhere inspiring, getting a mani/pedi, listening to live music, or hitting the mall and trying on fancy party dresses for fun.

Have Girly Fun

Make sure to always make time for your girls whether you’re in a relationship or not. A lot of girls tend to go M.I.A. as soon as they starting dating someone, but most guys like a girl who has her own thing going on. Pajama parties, spa days, blind makeovers, craft nights and boy watching are all things you can do to make lasting memories with your girls.