Okay, so Valentine's Day is a fake, made up, commercialized holiday, and yet we all still get roped into celebrating it.
It's the second busiest day in restaurants (Mother's Day is first), and we're pretty sure the Hallmark office explodes on February 14th.
Anyway, our point is that there isn't another holiday in the history of holidays that's designed to make single people feel worse about themselves than Valentine's Day.
Plus, finding someone to date is even harder in New York City, since there's something about this city that just makes everyone not want to date.
So at least you can take solace in the fact that you're not alone. There will be plenty of other awesome single people, struggling right alongside of you on Valentine's Day in NYC. Read on to find out about these struggles.
1. To call your ex or not to call your ex
Or a higher stakes decision: to booty call your ex or not to booty call your ex.
Here's our thoughts on that situation. If you're still in love with your ex, you probably shouldn't call. If you're drunk, and lonely, and planning on admitting your love, we should advise you not to call.
Still, the temptation is strong, and we get that. Your phone is burning a hole in your pocket and it would just be so comforting to hear your ex's voice.
[anad]
Here's the key to this one: you have to weigh out the pros and the cons. If your ex not answering the phone would hurt worse than the happiness you'd feel after a conversation, then don't call.
If you do call, don't be angry or resentful. Just be happy and fun. Okay?
2. Your friends are going on dates
Odds are, in college, you and your friends were all bitter and drunk about Valentine's day together. Maybe you went to a bar and even participated in some good old fashioned dirty bingo.
These days? Well, your friends are shacking up and getting puppies faster than you can count, and the Saturday night before Valentine's Day, they're probably going to be the ones we mentioned who are hitting up fancy restaurants and complaining about how they're too full to hook up.
Hopefully, you still have a fun single friend to hit the town with, but sadly some of your most fun friends will be MIA that evening, and you'll just have to cope with it.
3. Rom coms
Romantic comedies paint a fake picture of NYC that doesn't actually exist.
Like, we're sure people have fallen in love in this city before, but did they all fall in love in the exact same structural formula? Did they all start dating when they least expected it, fall in love, have a fight, and then get back together?
[anad2]
Okay, maybe, but the point is that rom coms are fun to watch, but sometimes they're tough to watch on Valentine's Day, like rubbing salt in a wound.
It doesn't help that all the major networks will be streaming romantic comedies all night long. If you want our advice, don't watch them. Watch Swingers, or maybe Shutter Island instead.
4. Love songs
sarwath_wahid Sounds about right! #foreveralone #valentinesdaysucks #singlepeople #velantines2016 #cursed #stillsingle #hereshoping #lastvalentinesday
Okay, no one listens to the radio anymore because it isn't 1997, but if you do happen to listen to the radio, you're going to catch an earful of love songs.
Even if you aren't listening to the radio, it's a typical move to put your iPhone on shuffle mode, or to pop in your Pandora or Spotify to jam on your way to the subway.
Our advice for this one: if you're bummed out about being single on Valentine's Day, just listen to a podcast instead of music. Listen to Serial. If you want to listen to music that'll make you feel better, though, check out Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bob Marley. It's a time-tested classic.
,5. Trying to get laid
We know today might be a day you're reevaluating your dating life, feeling lonely, and wanting to get as blackout drunk as possible.
We know the jam. You'll take a lot of shots, drink a lot of beers, and hit the bar with that singe friend we mentioned, trying to get it in.
[anad]
We really do hope the best for your libido on this night, and all told it really isn't that hard to find someone to hook up with. Especially if you hit the right bars in the East Village.
Just, go about this with the right attitude please. If you set out on Saturday night to hook up with someone, don't expect to find everlasting love. If you set out to hook up, though, then you might actually wind up having a bombass time.
6. Drug stores
Seriously, Duane Reade? Are you kidding us, Rite Aid? What is this nonsense, CVS?
Here's our real question, to all of you NYC drugstores. Did Cupid come in and throw up? If that's the case, shouldn't you have cleaned it up before anyone came in?
It's just a bummer when we just came in to buy some shampoo, maybe some batteries, pens, and lightbulbs, and we have to get whacked in the face with chocolate hearts, teddy bears, and sales on roses. Thanks a lot, Valentine's Day industry.
7. When your coworker gets flowers
Your coworker's beau thought they'd just be so adorable by sending something to be delivered to your office.
You thought, mistakenly, that work would be your one safe haven from Valentine's Day. Guess what? It isn't.
[anad2]
Instead, you have to sit next to those fragrant tulips, those luscious smelling roses, and listen to your co-workers "surprised" act. They totally didn't expect this!
You're happy about their love, you really are, but every once in a while you'd love to have a date beside pizza. Don't get us wrong; you love pizza and you always will, but still. You know what we mean.
8. Eating all the food
You know how we think you should spend Valentine's Day? We think you should spend it cuddled up next to your hot, steamy beau.
Yes, we are talking about pizza. We think you should order a nice, hot, cheesy pizza on Seamless and binge watch Game of Thrones while thinking about how much you rock.
We promise, Valentine's Day isn't all it's cracked up to be. Plenty of people in relationships feel trapped and wish they weren't, and plenty more are going to spend way too much on a made up holiday tonight.
Plus, odds are, your ex is in bed eating pizza, wondering if you're doing the same thing. The only sad thing about eating all the food on Valentine's Day is that there won't be any ice cream left to cope with Monday.
Check out 8 Ways NYC Keeps You Single.
[Feature Image Courtesy Lifehack]