Valentine’s Day can feel like a holiday for couples only, but plenty of single people are out that week too, and many of them would love to meet someone. The trick is to stop treating the day as pressure and start treating it as an excuse.
Go where single people go
Anti-Valentine’s parties, singles nights, comedy shows, trivia nights and Galentine’s or friends’ dinners all fill up with people who are not on a date. Couples book restaurants; singles book fun. Choose the places with an activity.
Go with single friends
A group of friends makes the night fun whatever happens, and a group is easy for other groups to talk to. Agree that nobody minds if someone wanders off for a chat.
Book something to do
Cooking classes, dance workshops and quiz nights often run Valentine’s specials for singles, with a built-in reason to talk to the person next to you. How to Meet Someone at a Cooking Class shows how it works.
Treat the day as a shared joke
Nearly every single person has an opinion about Valentine’s Day. “Are we celebrating or protesting tonight?” or “Rate this holiday out of ten” is light, a little funny and easy to answer. A shared eye-roll is a great start.
Start with the room
Anti-Valentine’s events often have games: a worst-date board, a piñata, heart-shaped decorations that have seen better days. Comment on what is in front of you and ask questions about it, rather than leading with anything heavy about dating.
Don’t make it a mission
Going out determined to meet someone puts pressure on you and on everyone you talk to. Go for a good night with good people; meeting someone is the bonus.
Keep it light
Avoid turning the conversation into a review of your love life or your ex. Funny dating stories are fine if they are short and kind; long complaints are not. People remember who made the evening fun.
Skip the bitterness
A joke about the couple getting engaged at the next table is funny once. Being sour about couples all night isn’t attractive, and the person you’re talking to might be a romantic.
On the apps
Valentine’s week is busy on dating apps. A light opener about the day stands out from yet another “hey”. Dating App Openers That Actually Get Replies has more.
Make a plan for after the fourteenth
The best Valentine’s plan is the one after Valentine’s: “Let’s do something un-romantic next week, like the worst-reviewed taco place in town.” It takes the pressure off and gives you a natural reason to swap numbers.
Lines to borrow
- At a singles night: “I’ve been told there’s a piñata. I need to see this.”
- Joking about the day: “I’m treating today like any other Wednesday, but with more chocolate.”
- Keeping it light: “Worst Valentine’s you’ve ever had? I’ll go first if you’re brave.”
- Including their friends: “Are you all here together? You look like the most fun table in the place.”
- After the fourteenth: “Let’s meet up next week, when the roses are half price.”
Practice it
Every February the game’s Valentine’s Week event opens Singles Night, an anti-Valentine’s party at a cocktail bar, and The Flower Stall, a line for roses the day before. Rooftop Bar practices the same skills all year.