Valentine’s Day: to some, that pair of words brings immense happiness and joy upon realizing that they actually have a special someone to hang around with. To others? Well… Let’s just call it Singles’ Awareness Day. If you happen to fall under the latter, then here’s 8 things to do when the dreaded February 14th comes along:

1. Singles Only Night

Who said that you’d have to be lonely when you’re single? Of course, if you’re a bit on the introverted side, then maybe you enjoy being by yourself. But if you enjoy companionship, then just hang out with your buddies and have a night on the town! For those of you 21 and over, there’s a large number of clubs and bars that only accept singles on Valentine’s Day, so check beforehand, make a couple of calls and enjoy yourselves. If you’re under 18, then just get a bunch of your single friends together and go ice skating, bowling or other fun recreational activities. Remember, being single doesn’t mean you have to isolate yourself from everybody else. But if you happen to be the only single person in your group of friends…

2. Bring out the popcorn

And rent a movie. Any type of movie genre (other than romance) should suffice, as watching something will distract you from thinking about the holiday. What’s better to serve as a distraction than The Hangover? You’ll be laughing too much to even remember what day it is! And in case you’re feeling mischievous:

3. Prank someone… or two

Not a super awful prank, but a lighthearted phone call regarding your best friend’s delayed shipment of lingerie is always fun. That way, you can have sort of a bit of revenge on the couple and everybody gets a laugh. Just be sure not to go overboard with the practical jokes. You want to tease your friends, not ruin their special day.

4. Gamer Mode: On

Let’s say you’re not the type to have a lot of single friends, watch movies or mess around with other people, but you’re a wicked gamer. Then grab that controller and put your skills into play! Much like watching a movie, playing video games is a great distraction from remembering that you’re single. There’s nothing wrong with spending Valentine’s Day playing Call of Duty or League of Legends, because your time is spent doing something you love. Just remember not to overdo it, or else you’ll have to do the next thing:

5. Exercise

Okay, I admit I’m not the healthiest person out there. If you haven’t been able to successfully ask anybody out yet, there’s a possibility that either your personality isn’t exactly the good kind, or you look like you can’t take care of your health. If you have a feeling you’re a tad on the heavy side, maybe it’s time to take a daily jog around the park. Physical appearances aren’t everything, yes, but you have to realize that healthy looking people are preferred over those that don’t look too good. And exercising gives you some pride in your body, and serves (once again) as a great distraction from Valentine’s Day! You’ll be too tired on that treadmill to think about being single anyways. But if all else fails…

6. Just be happy you’re single

You’re not alone, either! It’s perfectly normal to not be in a relationship, so why stress out so much about it? Being single has its perks, too, you know: you don’t have to worry about forgetting birthdays, anniversaries or other important events, nor do you have to worry about splitting your time wisely between friends and lovers. Not to mention you can express yourself freely around attractive people (if you get what I mean) without getting your partner angry.

This is only my take on the dreaded Singles’ Awareness Day, so feel free to comment on what you do on February 14th!