The London Tab’s Guide to Galentine’s Day

Cuffing season is coming to a close. So if you’ve managed to avoid losing yourself to a finance bro with a siggie ring, lacrosse guy (only @ucl), South London girlie or anyone in between, The London Tab is here to help you survive the final stretch: Valentine’s.

If you’re not a single pringle, then in all kindness – please leave! Now that’s out of the way, here are the top five ways to spend Galentine’s Day in 2022:

1. Grab a meal with friends

It may seem like all of your friends are off on a date or spending the night in with their S/O – but let’s be real, the majority of your friends aren’t going to be acting like a married couple with four children and dogs living in Marylebone.

It’s easy to get caught up in life and forget to make time for the people who make us happy, so take a moment this February 14 to take your friends out on a date. Whether you treat yourselves to a boujee restaurant or grab an affordable meal, don’t forget to bring some Tesco roses.

Some of our favourite budget evening food places include:

Bancone

The Japanese Kitchen (flex your student discount here)

Roti King

2. Go on a coffee date with ‘me, myself and I’

If you’re burnt out from the lectures, sports nights and social life, reserve February 14 for a coffee/ hot chocolate date with yourself.

Don’t take your work because (a) you won’t do it, and (b) you need to admit it: you’re in a toxic relationship with uni. Instead, take a book with you to read or a little notebook to doodle thoughts/ ideas or pictures because YOU are the main character.

And don’t forget to treat yourself to a pastry as well! (How can you look at cinnamon rolls in the corner of your eye and not have one?)

Stuck on where to grab a coffee and sweet treat? Don’t go to Pret – here are our top three coffee shops in Central London:

Store Street Espresso

Tea and Tattle

The Observatory

3. Explore London’s parks

Term Two can be rough, and it’s easy to forget that there’s more to lives than the walls of your halls or tiny overpriced London flat. So take the day to go outside and put in more commitment to your relationship with London.

We know it’s cold, but that North face puffer you bought as part of your reinvention for uni isn’t going to wear itself.

Our top walks include:

Greenwich Park (your insta deserves that white castle lookalike scene)

St. James Park

Richmond Park (it’s a trek, but nothing beats seeing some deer just vibing)

4. Take a break from socials

Rule number one: we’re not family vloggers, so you don’t need to announce your social media break on your insta story.

Rule number two: you don’t need to altogether avoid socials. But, making a conscious effort to focus on other things rather than scrolling through endless TikTok’s or mindlessly liking insta posts may do you some good.

Stop comparing yourself to others, go outside and heal your chakras with nature, as our horoscope/crystal-type girly pops know.

5. Club? Club. Bar? Bar.

It’s 7pm: you’re bored and can’t be bothered to watch another Rom-Com. Well, it may be a Monday night, but that doesn’t mean London is having a chill evening!

It’s time to be “in da club” as 50 cent says, so check out our top picks:

Simmons Bar (you can even do a cheeky bottomless afternoon tea)

The Jazz Cafe Camden

Supa Dupa Fly (opportunity for slow body rolling to R&B)

Ballie Ballerson

Roxy

All in all: enjoy your V Day and just remember to just have fun in this totally normal day!

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