Valentine’s Day can be a difficult time if you’re single, lonely or subconsciously push people away so they never have a chance to love you. But have no fear, because there are plenty of ways to turn the Hallmark holiday around and make the best out of it.
Post-Holiday Sales
Feb. 15 is the perfect day to stock up on chocolates for the year (or month, or week, or day — I’m not judging). Most stores seem to offer 50 percent off of boxed chocolates, heart-shaped Reese’s cups and cherry-flavored lollipops. If you wait a few days, you might even be able to get it 70 percent off, but at that point, there’s nothing good left, so my advice is to hurry. You may also get lucky and find really cool stuffed alpacas and the like for a discounted price, as well. It might make you a little sad at first since everything is love-themed, but it’s ultimately cheap candy so you’ll probably get over it pretty fast.
Visit the Franklin Park Conservatory
It sounds really cheesy, but going out and doing something is always a good idea to get yourself feeling better. The conservatory is featuring an orchid exhibition focusing on earth, air, fire and water (kind of like “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” which is another thing that will make you feel better) from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily until March 4. Go visit, smell the flowers and take some aesthetic pictures for your Instagram.
Visit COSI
COSI is one of the most enjoyable and distracting places for both children and adults to go in Columbus. Although the target audience is on the younger side, the joy and distractions are endless. With a multitude of rooms, exhibits and activities, there’s no doubt that something will take your mind off of your loneliness, and you’ll just learn about space or something instead. COSI’s winter business hours call for being closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday until March 16. They will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 19 for Presidents’ Day.
Visit the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA)
Similar to the idea of the Franklin Park Conservatory, looking at something beautiful may help you to ease your mind and calm down a little bit. With free admission on Sundays (open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on that day), the CMA is a lovely place to go for a distraction.
No matter how you spend your post-Valentine weekend, just remember that relationships aren’t everything and being happy is a priority. Do something you’ll enjoy and have as much fun as you can, with or without a significant other.
