Candy hearts and boxes of chocolate have lined the shelves of Target for months, previews for Dear John play every commercial break and your friends in relationships have started talking about their plans. Whether you love the holiday or loathe it, Valentine’s Day is here, people.

This year, I find myself single. Again. Regardless of my relationship status, I happen to love the holiday. I’ve had my fair share of romantic Valentine’s Days spent coupled up, but I’ve also spent plenty single – so many, in fact, that I consider myself kind of a pro. Of course, there was that one year that I drank enough Relax Reisling that I was relaxed enough to think eating a dozen cupcakes was a good idea, but I choose not to focus on that one.

Here are some suggestions from the self-professed Queen of Singledom for how to survive Valentine’s and have a bit of fun while you’re at it.

• Host a mixer. Have your single friends bring along a member of the opposite sex that they don’t want to date but who is a good candidate for others. For example, I would bring my friend Ryan. I have no interest in Ryan, but he is a successful, funny, good-looking dude who would be perfect for someone. Just not me. So I would bring him and hope that one of my friends brought an equally awesome person. The great thing about this party is that there is no pressure. If no one makes a connection, at least there will still be good food and lots of booze. How can you go wrong with that?
• Stay away from blind dates. Blind dates are usually awful anyway; just imagine what a blind date would be like with the added pressure of it being Valentine’s Day. Don’t do it.
• Do not, under any circumstances, watch The Notebook. You do not want to wake up on February 15th with your eyes swollen shut from crying so much the night before. I speak from experience on this one.
• Put on your best shirt (the more boob showage for the ladies, the better) and head to the mall bar, otherwise known as Denim and Diamonds. What better way to spend this holiday than two-stepping with a cowboy? Bring along your favorite single guys and gals and line dance the night away.
• Choose to be positive. No one likes a Debbie Downer, and being jealous of your coupled-up friends is not going to make you feel better. I choose to look at my friends in relationships as proof that true love is really out there, even if I haven’t found it yet.
• Do not contact your exes. You will regret it the next morning. Leave the past in the past and hold out hope that love is in your future.
• Send Valentines to the people you love. Who says Valentine’s Day is only about showing love to significant others? There are plenty of people in my life who deserve a note letting them know how much they mean to me, and I’m sure you have people who could use a note letting them know how much you appreciate them.
• Buy your own chocolate. No holiday should pass without chocolate. Go on the 15th and get it half-price. The only thing better than chocolate is chocolate on sale.

These tips may seem like common sense, but I can attest to the fact that when Valentine’s comes along, people who are sensible the other 364 days tend to freak out. I blame Hallmark.

I’ve been there. I’ve been the girl who sat at home and cried all night because no one took me out to a romantic dinner at the Olive Garden. Ha. I’ve also been the girl who was in a relationship and ended up disappointed by the lack of creativity my partner showed. A dozen roses. Really?! I’ll take a handwritten love letter over flowers any day.

It seems that Valentine’s is not perfect for anyone. It’s good to always remember… WWPBD. What would Pat Benatar Do?

She would say, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” Whatever February 14th brings, have fun with it. She would remind you that some people are “Heartbreakers” and that they aren’t worth your time. It’s better to be single than to deal with people who just want to put another notch in their lipstick case. Pat would encourage you to know that “Love is a Battlefield”, but she would also remind you that after awhile you find The One. You will find the person to whom you can say, “We Belong” and that you don’t give up on. She would encourage you to not forget that love is out there.

In the end, February 14th is just a day on the calendar. Another day to remind those who are important to you that you love them. Another day to eat chocolate. Another day to drive around with your windows down and the Pat Benatar music up. And another day to eat a dozen cupcakes. I suggest sharing, though. Your stomach and hips will thank you later.

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