Every year begins the same way. We count down from ten as the ball drops and the clock strikes midnight. We turn to our significant other and share a passionate kiss to ring in the new year. Some of us, that is. With the New Year celebrations over, singles sigh in relief as cuffing season ends and annoying aunts stop intruding in your dating life. But is cuffing season really over after winter break?

New Year’s is like the playoffs and Valentine’s Day is the Super Bowl. And for those flying solo, it feels like we’re mostly just here to watch the commercials. Spending Valentine’s Day alone can be daunting. Here are a few of my tips and tricks to score a date this Valentine’s Day.

Start living and breathing astrology.

If you’re spending day in and day out reading your birth chart to see if your ex will respond to the risky text you sent the night before, you’re already off to a good start and I like your tactics. If not, go ask your mom your birth time and get on Co-Star, immediately. I find this useful is because I have no idea how to inform my decisions about what I should do romantically on the day-to-day, but Astrology does! If you are experiencing power in your Sex & Love category find out why and make some moves. You can also use this to your advantage to find out all of your crush’s traumas and insecurities that they hide so well. Bonus points if you can work in a way to ask their birth time without seeming creepy!

Slide into the DMs.

Easily one of the most challenging, but if performed well, the successful methods to landing a date. The key here is to be friendly and non-predatory. Let’s be real – usually when you get a DM from someone it’s either really intriguing or just disturbing. If you’re going for the win, it’s probably best to build some sort of rapport in-person, whether it be the passing hello or just small talk. It is critical that you make that contact first. Otherwise, you risk coming off as either creepy, desperate or both. Once the connection has been made, start interacting with their account. Like their content, comment on their pictures, turn on post AND story notifications. The final step is sending the direct message. But you must NEVER randomly DM – always DM in response to a story or a post. Confidence is critical to your success, so lay it on them but don’t be creepy or arrogant. No Pressure.

Go out and find someone.

Going out and meeting potential romantic connections requires the greatest amount of effort. First of all, you need to look your best (or at least that’s what it feels like). You’ll take at least an hour getting ready, because you’ll probably get on FaceTime to see what your friend is wearing and if you’re underdressed, then you’ll dance in the mirror as you finish doing your hair for fifteen minutes. When you find yourself in the bar or club, you’ll make shallow conversation with someone who cannot for the life of them remember your name. But hey, they’re exactly your type, loves The Office, and is a ‘Dog Dad.’ To trap them, you agree with everything they say, laugh at all their jokes and give subtle arm touches. Maybe they finally ask for your Snapchat and Instagram so they can remember your name. If you’re lucky, they’ll ask you out on Valentine’s Day. Or he’ll ghost you. This method is really hit or miss, I’ve witnessed both success and failure.

Make your best friend your date.

If you and your best friend are both single, the best way to celebrate the holiday is to revel in each other’s loneliness. It sounds depressing, but really, it’s super cute. Love isn’t an emotion we reserve exclusively for those we’re romantic with. Although culturally we see Valentine’s Day as a day for lovers, it is really just a day to celebrate love all around. I remember when my only valentine was my mom and my cat (under duress) and it still felt special. Love for your good friends is just as much a reason to celebrate. So why not grab your partner in crime and go do something fun or relaxing. There is so much to do and see in Miami. Explore the Institute of Contemporary Art in the Design District, go rent a cabana on South Beach, get brunch at a nice restaurant.

Whatever you do, treat yourself and have fun. We place a lot of pressure on people to get into relationships, when we have plenty of love right in front of us. 

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