Pandemic-Friendly Valentine’s Ideas for Singles
Let’s face it: the Omicron variant of COVID-19 took the world by storm and is still infecting people daily, making meeting new people for Valentine’s 2022 a bit different than we may have anticipated (and eerily similar to what it looked like in 2021). As a single person, it’s tough, and maybe even a little annoying, to hear chants of “stay home” when home may be a particularly quiet and potentially even lonely-feeling place. Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, we hope you find something on this list that inspires you to meet new people while staying safe!
1. Join a Virtual Meet Up
Who says you can’t meet people from the comfort of your home? Depending on where you live, there may be virtual events you can log onto. The benefits of virtual events are numerous, but some of my favorites are not having to brave the elements or worry about drunk, tired, or enraged drivers. How can you find them? Some favorites are Meetup, Nextdoor, and EventBrite. Beyond that, most major cities have a “Secret” email list or website, e.g. Secret Los Angeles, Secret Boston, and Secret New York, and most let you filter for “virtual” events.
2. Check Out a Virtual Event and #GetSocial — it will be SuperBowl weekend, after all
Whether watching your city’s events or a livestream of a favorite musician or comedian or watching #SuperBowl2022, let internet searching be your friend to find something to tune into. Watching alone is one option, but if you want to get social, you can connect to your community by creating your own livestream with your friends and family, or joining someone else’s, and have live commentary while watching the event simultaneously!
3. Create a Virtual Party
Zoom fatigue is real, but it’s still one of the most accessible ways to connect with your friends, family, and community. Send out invites the way you normally would for a party, and on the day of, have a little fun and get dressed up! Though you’ll be responsible for procuring your own party favors and booze, you’ll still celebrate the day with some face time with friends and family.
4. Have a Night In
Valentine’s Day when single isn’t always about Galentine’s (or Malentine’s!) with a group of singles getting together to scream curses at love. For many, it can be a great time to reflect on the past year while planning for what they want their love life to look like in the upcoming year. Use this time to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with yourself: create a vision board, meditate, light some candles, enjoy a warm bath, play a game with loved ones (furry or otherwise!) that may be running around your place, put together a 1,000 piece puzzle, queue up a movie marathon, try out that exceptionally involved recipe you’ve been meaning to try for years, or catch up on well deserved sleep — self care looks different for each person and the possibilities are endless. If there’s an activity or hobby that you’ve been wanting to try but haven’t, a night in is a great time to explore that.
5. Sign Up to Foster an Animal
Many shelters seek qualified volunteers to temporarily house their animals to give them a break from shelter life and help assess temperament. If you have the space in your heart and a place they can temporarily call home, this could be a great way to express your love and get love in return while staying in. Disclaimer: Animals are sentient beings who are deserving of our love and compassion — this option may not be right for you! Be honest with yourself and your capabilities before committing to this.
6. Go Outdoors
It’s an increasing risk to go to indoor events, even if fully vaccinated. That said, you can get outdoors and go for a hike, a nice long walk through your neighborhood, or if you’ve got a trash can lid, some snow, and a hill nearby, channel your inner child and go sledding! The options to get outside are endless. If you’re in a place with outdoor space heaters and social distancing, like our friends in Los Angeles, look for an outdoor meetup. If you’re in LA, you can even attend Blink’s live pop-up event at Party Beer Co! RSVP here: https://bit.ly/Valen-Date
