Graphic by Dorothy Lakshmanamurthy.
CHARLOTTE HARGROVE | OPINION COLUMNIST | chargrove@butler.edu
Valentine’s Day is perhaps one of the most stressful holidays of the year. With the struggle in finding the perfect gift to the struggle of finding the perfect partner, the “gals” are now changing the game. Galentine’s can be best described as a solution to loneliness and a perfect get-away for those whose true loves are their besties!
Whether it’s dressing up in pinks and reds, doing fun little activities or simply sharing a meal, the gals got it down. Galentine’s Day first started with the character Leslie Knope — played by Amy Poehler — in the show “Parks and Recreation”. The season 2 episode, “Galentine’s Day”, released on Feb. 11, 2010 and began the ongoing tradition. This holiday quickly took off with gals all around the world due mainly to the influence of social media, and people sharing their ideas and set-ups.
First-year nursing major Maria Killacky has been celebrating Galentine’s since grade school.
“I think I learned about [Galentine’s] in elementary school, doing little crafts in class with friends,” Killacky said.
Galentine’s Day is a holiday that can be celebrated and loved from ages one to 100 making it the perfect holiday for all.
Most people choose to celebrate their Galentine’s around the date of Valentine’s Day, to make the holiday more inclusive of non-romantic relationships.
Kaylyn Fenske, a first-year speech, language and hearing sciences major, plans to celebrate with some of her closest gals.
“We are going to celebrate on the 15th.” Fenske said, “[Beyond a gift exchange] we’re probably just going to paint our nails or watch a movie.”
Although Galentine’s Day is most definitely a fun event, it’s a very personal and emotional event as well. It’s a good time to remember your friends and people who are close and important to you.
Avery Briggs, a first-year speech language and hearing sciences major, discussed why she believes that Galentine’s Day is just as important as Valentine’s Day.
I think Galentine’s is the perfect form of being a girl and supporting each other,” Briggs said. “Especially girls who maybe feel lonely not being in a relationship.”
Whether romantically involved or otherwise, Galentine’s is a celebration that includes all.
“I think Galentine’s is really important.” Fenske said. “I’ve been single my whole life up until now, and so I think it’s a good time to remember that love isn’t only romantic, it’s also platonic, and it’s a good way to celebrate your friendship.”
Galentine’s is a beautiful way for gals to look back on friendships and be able to remind their friends just how much their relationship means to them. Although friendships can be goofy and fun, it is also important to take the time to appreciate and value true friends. Some gals gave testaments to their love for their friends.
“[Friendship] is a hard thing to describe,” Briggs said. “My friends almost feel like an extension of me, at least the really good ones that I can talk to like they were me in the mirror. I can talk about anything, they’ll help me, they really want to support me and push me too. I love having those deep, fulfilling relationships where you can just be 100% yourself, and they don’t care.”
“My friends are very kind and just getting to hang out with them is always super fun,” Killacky said. “Just getting together for a night even when we’re super busy just means a lot.”
“My friends mean so much to me,” Kaylinski said. “I came into college with my cousin, so we were really close, but we’ve created our own friend group of [both] boys and girls, but especially the girls have a different connection because we all feel so deeply, and it’s nice to talk to people who can relate to you.”
So, next time you find yourself on Valentine’s Day in your pajamas and with your dog, wallowing in your loveless love life; grab a friend or two and cuddle up and you will have yourself a Galentine.
