If you were to ask the general populace what the most famous holiday in February is, you’ll probably hear one answer: Valentine’s Day. Ask a teenage girl that question, and you might hear a different one.
Spawning from a February episode of “Parks and Recreation,” Galentine’s Day is recognized on February 13th, one day before Valentine’s Day. However, many plan small get-togethers in the general vicinity of this week; the date is inconsequential.
The point of Galentine’s Day is to ignore, no, to defy, the commercialized romance that comes with Valentine’s Day. To celebrate is to ignore the societal pressure of Valentine’s Day, of buying overpriced flowers and overly-sweet chocolates. It’s to recognize the friends who are there for you when you need them the most. And it’s to remember that love goes beyond romance, especially in high school. Love is sitting on a couch and snort-laughing at your friend’s ridiculous slideshow graphics. Love is bonding over burning the chocolate chips in the microwave before you could dip the strawberries in them. Love is crying to a sad movie together. Love is being a friend.
In fact, that’s exactly how some girls choose to spend their Galentine’s. Jasmin Bains, a junior, admits that the chocolate and rom-coms are motivators to planning a girl’s nights. But, really, she finds that Galentine’s Day is a way to bring girls together. When going to parties with friends and mutual friends, she remarks that Galentine’s Day “helps to become closer with people I wasn’t originally close with.”
It’s especially a hit among those who have recently split from a relationship or are single. However, Galentine’s is open even to those who have a significant other and simply want to show some appreciation to their besties.
Olivia Santos, a sophomore, sees it as a great opportunity for those without a Valentine.
“I like that if you don’t have a special person, you can just hang out with your friends, and still have fun and celebrate the holiday,” she said.
There’s nothing wrong with showing your significant other how much you love them this Valentine’s Day. But there’s definitely nothing wrong with showing your friends how much you appreciate their presence in your life as well.
Nina Zifchak, a senior, sums it up best,
“It’s a great way to bond and just be girls, dressed in pink and red, eating good food and having a good time without having to think about boyfriends, which is the usual focus around Valentine’s Day,” she said.
