Ah, romance. Just what everybody needs, wants, and has… right? Wrong. The portrayal of Valentine’s Day for singles everywhere can make it seem dreary or cruel if you’re alone, whether it is by choice or circumstance. It’s hard to see what life really has to offer in the love department when being bombarded with Rom-Com ideals and expensive chocolate candy hearts sold at every super market in sight.

Fear not, you can be happy as a single on Valentine’s Day! Resist the pressure to couple up if it is not the right time for you, and make the most of it. There are far better things to do than sit and mope that you don’t have a lover this year.

Try and get some perspective this V-Day. If you’re feeling sad because Valentine’s Day causes feelings of loneliness and reminds you that you are “just” single, it might help to realize there are plenty of other people experiencing the love blues.

“I used to hate Valentine’s Day with a burning passion, but for the past couple years my girlfriends and I do Galentine’s Day, a little spinoff celebrating being single. We get each other presents, eat a ton of chocolate, and watch scary movies,” said Junior Kadet, Jenna Klewsaat.

While some of them may be as miserable as you, to others the concept of Valentine’s Day doesn’t even phase them. Remind yourself that the benefits of V-Day reside in the cash registers of florists, candy marketers, gift shops, and restaurants catering to the so called love birds.

Embrace your singleness. At some point you have to enlighten yourself of all the positives that come from being single. Not having to share the covers, eating any and all the food you want without a care, and simply not having to give up the remote. Don’t fall for the hype that everyone else has stumbled into. There are many very happy singles out there in the world but it is not currently fashionable to cover the happiness of being single in media or political discourse.

Kadet Terrie Farley says, “I think that being single over Valentine’s Day is regarded as something really negative especially when you’re happy about it. In this day and age it’s almost like an expectation to be with someone to be happy and being single is kind of taboo. The media sets up the ideal of a perfect person and that person always has a “better half” which implies that you can’t be a whole just by yourself. Because of this connotation of relationships it can lead to an almost unrealistic idea of what to expect.”

Write a list of all things that are wonderful about being single. If people choose to rub your singleness in your face, feel free to mention that statistics prove that more than half of the country is single. In 2014, The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 124.6 million Americans 16 years and older are living the single life.

Consider treating yourself instead of beating down on yourself. Splurge on something you really want and stray away from making V-Day about hurt and loss, but about celebrating love, even when you’re very single.

Most importantly, think about the day after Valentine’s Day. All of the candy is 50% off. Score!

Many romances spark throughout people’s lives, no matter what age. In the meantime, love the life you’re living and don’t live for love.