Valentine’s Day Got You Down? Try Galentine’s Day For Size!

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Galentine’s Day, a friendship-based substitute for Valentine’s Day, is a great way to overcome any concerns about relationship-status and have some food and fun.

On February 13, many women follow in the footsteps of the main character of the television show Parks and Recreation and celebrate Galentine’s Day. This unofficial holiday is celebrated by single and taken women alike to acknowledge their friendship and strength. The holiday takes pressure off individuals who feel that they have to be in a romantic relationship on Valentine’s Day by providing them with the opportunity to focus on their friendships instead.

Galentine’s day is about friendship to senior Emma Duelm, who described her celebration of the holiday. “Everything was pink, red, and sugary, and it allowed us to unwind and just enjoy each other’s company,” said Duelm as she explained the Galentine’s breakfast that she attended in 2017.

“I’m an introvert through and through, so normally doing big social activities makes me recoil; however, my Galentine’s Day was celebrated with a lot of cool girls, and I felt completely safe and not pressured,” said Duelm.

She also enjoyed the fact that the holiday did not solely revolve around romance. “Galentine’s Day takes the pressure off having to be in a relationship…and allows me to focus on the people that matter in my life,” said Duelm. “I believe that strong friendships are super important for one’s health and success; it’s important to have people you can depend on.”

She even prefers Galentine’s Day over Valentine’s Day. “[I was] able to simply enjoy the time with [my] friends and build friendships with people [I] didn’t know as well,” said Duelm. She did that instead of worrying about the pressure that society puts on people to be in a relationship on Valentine’s Day.

Inspired by the message of Galentine’s Day and their love for the show Parks and Recreation, sophomores Tanvi Thatai and Rachel Sedlak celebrated the holiday with brunch and friends and plan to do so again this year. “It’s always nice to let your friends know that you love them and appreciate them, and Galentines day is the perfect opportunity to do that,” said Thatai.

Even though the Galentine’s episode of Parks and Rec aired back in 2010, people still prefer this nonofficial holiday over the more traditional one. “I like Galentine’s Day better than Valentine’s Day mostly because I have more people to hang out with,” said Sedlak. “We bought and made little gifts for each other, and it was really fun.”

Galentine’s Day is a way for friends to celebrate one another and remind each other that they are important. “It made me feel great because of the bonding I got to have with my friends and the knowledge that these girls have my back,” said Thatai.