How to spend Galentine’s Day 2k16

I’m going to speak for the world and say we’re all grateful for the time Leslie Knope introduced us to the wondrous day that is Galentine’s Day, February the 13^th.

Galentine’s is a day to let your platonic gal pals know exactly how much you want to kiss them right smack on their personalities.

While you could go classic Parks and Rec style and write 5,000 word essays about your bud’s best qualities, might I remind you that we are in college.

An essay with supporting facts and works cited about how good your friend is at beer pong? Uh, no thanks. Her Saturday night Snapchat story can already attest to that.

While Leslie is indeed the true founder of the day, sadly, none of us are Leslie Knope.

If anything, we’re all a little more like April at heart.

In other words, we all secretly want to celebrate the beejeezus out of Galentine’s Day but don’t want to make all of the pals a portrait made from the lids of their favorite diet soda.

So here’s what we can do instead.

Write a friend fiction

Get a little buzzed (or not) and write descriptive friend fictions for one another.

Feel free to have it star her and that cute guy from her philosophy class. To save time, organize it Secret Santa style. Draw names out of a hat and whoever you get, get ready to make them a friend fiction that’s straight up Tumblr worthy.

Maybe even mix the steamy scenes with a little romance, especially if she’ll be spending Valentine’s Day just doing her.

This is three times as fun if you all read them aloud.

A good Instagram is worth a thousand words

 I could be alone here, but nothing screams life-lasting friendship like an Instagram post with a cute picture and meaningful caption.

While some people equate this lending of friendship as an act of hacktivism and laziness, I’ve seen people spend a good 15 minutes filtering, captioning and fitting their Instagram post.

Even though they’re probably stressing about how they appear in the picture more than anything, I’m still flattered when somebody spends 15 minutes doing something that involves me.

Thus, I’m flattered at an Instagram feature and you should be, too.

Plus, I’m excited to get the whole #Galentines2k16 hashtag off the ground.

Long distance gal pals

Sadly, we all have those best friends that go somewhere other than here.

But don’t let the distance stop your love for one another: go out to eat, turn on three-way Skype and relive your glory days.

Make sure the restaurant has good Wi-Fi and isn’t full of people that are TOO judgey.

Be a wing woman

While Galentine’s Day is undoubtedly a day about celebrating your girl friends, remember that friendship is a two-way street.

You don’t buy that $1 Panera pastry with your meal and then just stare at it – you eat it passionately and guiltlessly because you just ate a salad.

And maybe that’s a very weird comparison to make when talking about your friends but the point is, do you really want to just shower her with roses and sunshine when you could help a sister out?

All I’m saying is Galentine’s can be a day to play wing-woman for all the single friends in your life.

And Galentine’s does fall on a Saturday night, so why not go out to the bars and try out every tactic you can think of?

You can be forward and forcefully introduce your girl to her potential lover by physically pulling their arms  until they’re staring deeply into each other’s eyes.

Or, once you and your friends have a cute guy cornered, just start acting really strange in comparison to her. Talk to some walls. Whisper to people that clearly aren’t there. Just make your girl look like she at least has the whole sanity thing going for her.

Another option is whipping out that third party pick up-line such as, “Hey, did you come here alone? Cause my friend did and she’s looking for a little something, something.” And then wink, while head-nodding to your friend who is probably hiding in a corner somewhere.

Yeah, maybe it is a little bit like third graders interacting on the playground but win or lose, at least you tried something other than Tinder for once.

Also, if the bars aren’t your scene, just put up posters everywhere with her email or something.

But OK, if you’re really feeling gushy

If you read the above suggestions and thought I was missing the point of Galentine’s Day, keep your cool.

Get guys out of the equation and just appreciate each other’s company.

Buy a batch of Insomnia Cookies, curl up and watch some Gilmore Girls.

So maybe you already do this once a week at least but just know that if you pull this on Galentine’s Day, it really means something.