It seems every year after all the Christmas candy has cleared the shelves, stores start making room for Valentine’s Day merchandise.

For many this is just a small reminder that time is ticking to find that special person who you’ll share Feb. 14th with, or if you have that special someone to find the gift that will make their day perfect.

For others it is the time of year where we put our blinders on and head straight for the necessities and book it out of the store quicker than you can say “Be Mine”.

This year I can’t decide which hat I will wear, given that last Valentine’s Day my revelation was that this holiday is a day to celebrate love, romantic or not.

Although I still believe this to be true it got me thinking, ‘why is it bad to be bitter on Valentine’s Day?’ Now, before I get all Carrie Bradshaw in this column, I think about all the girls and guys that will be complaining and whimpering about the holiday.

I always told myself that I would never be one to feel bad for myself or bring down Valentine’s Day just because I didn’t have a significant other, but when thinking about why people drown themselves in the loathing of Valentine’s Day I start to wonder if deep down inside I, too, am a secret love-day-hater cloaked in an optimistic mindset.

Now, typically the biggest Valentine’s Day haters are the people that would be rubbing it in others faces if they did have a Valentine via social media—they are the ones who wished but did not receive. Regardless of my true feelings toward Valentine’s Day, I want every dateless single to embrace being bitter because if you do it right it can be fun.

Following this five-step process will bring out the bitterness in you and will, in the end, let you say ‘I am bitter and proud.’ (Disclaimer: what may work for some may not work for all, try this at your own risk).

Step one: smile at every cutesy couple, especially the girl with the oversized bear and roses, and just think you won’t have to worry about your flowers dying or the bear taking up space in your college-sized apartment. Also, it is scientifically proven that smiling can add years to your life (giving us more time to find that special someone…or not).

Step two: sleep in and dress how you please, since you don’t have to worry about impressing anyone. You can roll out of bed and not feel the pressure of looking good for the day or night. This will leave you feeling rejuvenated and wide awake—enough to binge on a 10-hour Netflix marathon.

Step 3: Go buy yourself something nice with the money that you won’t spend on a gift. Treat yourself to that bag you’ve had your eye on or that watch you said you didn’t need. The great thing about buying your own gifts is knowing you’ll never be disappointed.

Step 4: stay on social media. Although some stay away from social media to avoid the sappy posts and the flaunting of love and gifts, you should be able to double tap, like, favorite and comment on anything Valentine related. Be happy that there is love consuming the air waves rather than hate. Don’t be that person that one day says you’re tired of hearing about the negative and then reject the positive that is love.

Step 5: spread the love. Every year I look forward to the red heart-shaped lollipops. I always stock up since I know they won’t be back until the next year.

I know that I’m not the only one who shares my admiration for the candy so buy some lollipops and pass them out to every person you make eye contact with in the halls or outside walking across campus.

Now, although some of you may read this and find it pathetic that people take the time to feel good about their dateless selves on Valentine’s Day, you are the problem that I am trying to avoid and the reason why I am writing this column.

I wanted to show others how to do bitter the right way, in style. As humans, we walk around every day being bitter about something in life whether it is about our grades, work or lifestyle. We always find a way to put a damper on any situation.

I wanted to make sure that the singles who may feel left out this Saturday feel included and feel the urge to post about their awesome day rather than about how horrible they feel since they don’t have a Valentine or those typical I hate Valentine’s Day posts.

When you take control of the situation you’re in and embrace it, you break free from any hostility that you might find within yourself.

If you chose to be bitter this Valentine’s Day know that I think that it is a great option. Be bitter about hate, be bitter about inequality and be bitter about negativity, but never take the time or energy to be bitter about love, because with love comes change and in this time in our history, we as a country need change.

Amanda Guillen may be reached at [email protected].