1. Host a Sleepover/Party:

You can never go wrong with having a sleepover or party. You could even mix them and have a party, and then people can spend the night. The party could include games, you could make dinner or order pizza, do nails. There are so many fun options of what to do, whether it’s activities or whether it’s food on Pinterest. Of course a movie is always a great idea too. You could watch a cheesy rom-com to celebrate the day. Some great classics include “10 Things I hate about you”, and “13 Going on 30”.  

2. Charcuterie Board Night:

If you haven’t seen this trend on TikTok, you should look it up. It is such a unique spin on having people bring their own food for a get together or a party! Everyone can bring their own charcuterie board with different foods on it. This can be anything from a chicken nugget board, candy board, to a pizza board. And the great thing about it is, you can put as little or as much effort into it as you want.

3. Make a “Date” Night:

This might work better if it is just you and one friend, however you could really do this with as many people as you want, it just might get a bit tricky. But basically the idea is that you plan a date night and ask the other person (or people) on a date with you. It is a fun way to make someone feel special on Valentine’s Day, and you can go as simple or full out with this as you want to. You could have a picnic, go out to a fancy restaurant, go get dessert, etc.. Whatever is something that you and the other person will enjoy. It doesn’t even have to be surrounded by food; this can be a movie night or something like bowling even.

4. Tea Party:

This might sound abnormal and weird even, but this could be something nice and different than what you would normally do with your friends. You could set a theme such as Alice in Wonderland, all dress up, and make food surrounding the theme. This also provides a great opportunity for pictures, which is always a nice bonus. And the good thing about this option is you can do this wherever, and you can find lots of inspiration on Pinterest for hosting a tea party.

5. Plan a Photoshoot:

Who doesn’t love an excuse to get dressed up and take pictures with your besties? Put on some cute outfits, try a new hairstyle, do a sparkly makeup look. There are endless ideas for backdrops, poses, outfits, etc. online. Pick some that you like and have a fun time. You could put on some music and get some props, and just make it into a whole event. Bonus points if you also make some TikToks!

For more ways to celebrate Galentine’s Day, click here!

And check out this fun Girl Spring Quiz: Plan a Galentine’s Day Celebration and We’ll Tell You What Type of Friend You Are!

The post How To Celebrate Galentine’s Day appeared first on GirlSpring.

A Perfect Playlist for Valentine’s Day

Music is a versatile art form. It can be used to relate to and transcend its listeners to a different place. No matter what your situation is this Valentine’s Day, there are love songs out there for you. I’ve compiled a perfect playlist – fit for everyone this Valentine’s Day

Cigarettes and Coffee by Otis Redding

This song is a pretty traditional love song. Redding professes his love for the woman that he is with. Redding’s voice is wonderful and full of emotion. A must for any Valentine’s playlist.

Truth Hurts by Lizzo

Truth Hurts is one about self-love. Lizzo has left a relationship and is showing her confidence through this track. Unlike many songs that would be found on a Valentine’s playlist, this song makes the listener embrace themselves before worrying about any lover. A great song to sing and dance to!

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths

The theme if this song seems to focus on the love of life (at least in the moment that the song takes place) and possibly the potential love of the person in which the song is addressed. The song feels so free, and you can’t help but to fall in love with it yourself.

Go Ahead by Perfume Genius

Another great song about self-love. The singer is dismissing all of those in his past who have judged him. He is embracing the things about himself that others view as odd.

Gimme All Your Love by Alabama Shakes

A very heartfelt song. It details a relationship that needs to be worked on. The singer is begging their lover to contribute to the mending of this relationship. Brittany Howard’s vocal performance on this track is amazing, and really makes the listener empathetic to her situation.

Send His Love to Me by PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey sings about waiting for a love in “Send His Love to Me”. Again, the vocal performance on this is great. The listener can understand how deeply the singer longs for the person that she is singing about.

Suzanne by Leonard Cohen

This is one of my favorite songs. It focuses on one character, Suzanne. She is a somewhat kooky character that the singer is infatuated with. He cannot have her, but he sings of his longing for her. The lyrics are beautiful.

Sweet Thing by Van Morrison

Sweet Thing is an amazing love song. It is dreamy and beautiful, taking the listener through vivid imagery and descriptions. It makes your heart light and long for love.

There’s my Valentine’s playlist! Hope you found some songs to add to yours!

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While Valentine’s Day might be a positive event today, the bloody origins and dark backstory haunt the holiday from centuries long ago.

Wait, there’s more than one Saint Valentine?

While Valentine seems unique, he is not. In fact, multiple Valentines are thought of as the possible origin of Saint Valentine’s Day.

One Saint Valentine lost his head – literally – after displeasing the Ancient Roman Emperor, Gothicus. While in custody of Asterius, a trusted aristocrat within Rome, Valentine succeeded in a bargain with him. If Valentine, a Christian, could cure Asterius’s foster-daughter’s lack of sight, Asterius would convert to Christianity. Valentine was able to cure the girl, and his actions were praised by the family. However, the family soon saw the same fate as Valentine.

An Italian Saint Valentine is often mistaken as the Roman Valentine. This is because the two men died in similar ways.

Another common tale of Saint Valentine originates in the 3rd century A.D. under Claudius II. Because Claudius had ambitions of expanding the empire, he also had the problem of lovesick soldiers longing for their wives. To combat this, he banned marriage altogether.

The ban on marriage led to Saint Valentine, a Roman priest, who would secretly marry couples. When Claudius II learned of his crimes, Valentine was sentenced to death. Young couples wed by Valentine would pass letters and flowers through the bars of his cell.

Rumor also states Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. Supposedly, on the day of his death, he passed a note to her saying “from your Valentine” thus starting a timeless tradition.

Anything for Love

Many think the celebration of mid-February originates with the Roman feast of Lupercalia. Lupercalia is an annual celebration in ancient Rome dedicated to the she-wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus. The feast was to bring fertility to the women of Rome. However, this fertility came with a disgusting and painful process.

After the sacrifice of a goat and a dog, the hide of the animals were made into narrow strips of leather. Men would arm themselves with the strips then try to strike the women. Women who were hit would then be fertile. Additionally, there was a matchmaking lottery intended to match young women and men for the duration of the holiday. If this match was true, it could prosper even after the festival.

Roses are red, violets are blue

You may be wondering how we went from dog hide to cupid and chocolates on this famous holiday. Well, you have Geoffrey Chaucer to thank for this development. In “Parlement of Foules,” he writes about the mating of birds, establishing Saint Valentine’s feast as a day for birds to mate and produce eggs. He writes,

“For this was on seynt Volantynys day. When euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.”

As this movement prospered, the inspiration struck the writings of Shakespeare in Hamlet. 

Heart Emojis, Snapchat Filters, and Chocolates Galore

As the holiday exponentially grew in popularity, the New World embraced it like never before. The Industrial Revolution led to commercialism and manufacturing. The mass marketing has continued to this day, as there is an average of $2 billion spent on flowers alone each Valentine’s Day. Many companies use Saint Valentine’s Day to profit since it is one of the most expensive holidays. From Hallmark cards to candy hearts there is a lot of revenue stemming from the holiday.

My Take

I believe Valentine’s Day can be a wonderful holiday if you spend it with the right people. If you don’t have a significant other, celebrate Galentine’s Day on February 11. Galentine’s Day originates from the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. Also don’t feel pressure to make it a big deal if you don’t want!

The whole of point of Valentine’s Day is to appreciate the love you have around you, not to force it. For instance, I am going to have my first Valentine’s Day with my first boyfriend this year, and we will be spending it at a Model UN conference.

Essentially, treat Valentine’s Day like any other day, with more love.

So, however you celebrate your Valentine’s Day, remember that your love life will never be as ambiguous as the holiday’s origins!

For more about Valentine’s Day, check out Romantic Movies for Valentine’s Day and Why it’s Okay Not to have a Date this Valentine’s Day.

The post Saint Valentine’s Day – History of Ancient Love appeared first on GirlSpring.

As love fills the air and Valentine’s Day approaches, you may be on the search for a romantic film.

Here are five perfect romance movies to watch on this happy holiday

The Fault in our Stars

This heart-wrenching movie is about a 16 year old girl, Hazel Grace Lancaster. Hazel is battling lung cancer all her life. She meets a fellow cancer patient, Augustus Waters, with just as huge a sense of strength as herself, and they become star-crossed lovers.

Love, Rosie

In this romantic comedy, two best friends, Rosie and Alex, realize they may see each other as something more. They always dreamed of moving to America together. However, they face a long journey in making their ways back to each other. If you are looking for a movie about the right person at the wrong time, Love, Rosie is the one.

After

Talk about a connection! Tessa Young has grown up studious and driven but begins to find there is much more to life than what she has been living. Her world is turned upside down when she meets Hardin Scott, the stereotypical bad boy, and she is able to see life in a fresh perspective.

The Notebook

Noah Calhoun and Allie spend a dreamy, romantic summer. Unfortunately, all summers must come to an end, and Allie returns to her wealthy family. The lovers separate for years and this movie portrays their beautiful journey back to each other. True love always finds a way!

The Choice

Travis Shaw was always the player type, but when his new neighbor, Gabby Holland, moves in he sets his sights on a future with her. It is a hard fight to win her over, for she is newly engaged, but as they grow together, their story shows the true power of love.

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“Galentine’s Day” has become an increasingly popular unofficial holiday the day before Valentine’s Day.

Many women appreciate a day of celebrating with their female friends before the day of romance. It is quite a relief from the social pressure to have fancy, overrated plans. Simply type the word “Galentine’s” into the search bar on Pinterest and the results are sure to be flooded with ideas on ways to make the holiday extra special.

But where did Galentine’s Day come from?

Parks and Recreation fans can answer that question! The holiday was first introduced in the season two “Galentine’s Day” epsiode of Parks and Recreation. The lively, passionate protagonist, Leslie Knope, hosts a “Galentine’s Day” brunch for her friends. It is to be recognized as the day of “ladies celebrating ladies”.

So how should you celebrate Galentine’s Day?

That is completely up to you. Make it what you want it to be! Keep it true to the episode by hosting a brunch with your girl friends and coworkers.Consider buying fun gifts like these message candles for your female friends! However, feel free to stray from tradition. Try inviting your female relatives over for a game night. If your female BFFs love a party, throw one! 

In fact, if you would like to include friends who are not female, throw a “Palentine’s Day” celebration. This could be in substitution or addition to a Galentine’s Day party. Although there would be much less of a focus on girl power, celebrating platonic love is just as important! Platonic love is often overshadowed by romantic, merchandise-selling love of Valentine’s Day. Palentine’s Day is still very much in the spirit of Galentine’s Day. 

Last year, I invited some of my girl friends over for dinner and hung up homemade red paper hearts on the walls for decoration. Afterwards, we watched the Parks and Recreation Galentine’s Day episode while eating ice cream. We really had a blast and I highly recommend getting together to spend some quality time with your friends at some point during February.

Who knows? Perhaps you will end up agreeing with Leslie Knope that Galentine’s Day is “only the best day of the year”!

For more Valentine’s Day ideas, check out The Best Romantic Comedies for Valentine’s Day.

The post Galentine’s Day: How & Why to Celebrate appeared first on GirlSpring.

No Bullies Allowed.

Tips on How to Handle Being Bullied

Being the center of attention can be nerve-wracking if it is not handled properly. Some people aspire to be the most popular person in the room. Others cringe at the thought of it. Nonetheless, being the center of attention calls for a lot of people to watch your every move. With this being said, sometimes the limelight brings unpleasant people who say and do things that aren’t so nice.

These people are called bullies.

In some form or fashion, we have all had a childhood bully. They are never easy to deal with. One of the first bullies that I ever had was when I was in the seventh grade. She ended up stealing my iPod too. A few other times it usually had something to do with how I did my hair and people would say it was flakey and I needed to wash it. It was usually condescending and in a way. People used to make fun of how I talk since it isn’t conventionally feminine. Others used to take jabs about how I dressed or spoke. Essentially, it made me feel terrible about myself. I wouldn’t talk to anyone about how those situations made me feel because I thought that I had no one to talk to.

Ultimately, I learned that the goal of a bully is to make you feel bad about yourself.

As said on www.psychologytoday.com, “Bullying is repeated, aggressive behavior…that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. Its purpose is to deliver physical or psychological harm to another person. [They] operate by making their victims feel alone and powerless.” When I noticed that this was their end goal, to make feel a way in which I could not understand, I had to learn to find true confidence from solitude and isolation.

A lot of people did not understand me growing up. I was uncanny and they thought that my kindness made me an easy target. On top of being socially awkward, I was quite shy and introverted because not communicating the things that harmed me made me feel better. Plus, it was easier to not say anything and keep going with life rather than confront the issue. Again, I learned rather quickly that allowing people to walk all over you would not be a justifiable reason for letting people know when they have hurt you.

Being assertive and confident created a path to holding others accountable for their wrongdoings. For me, it was not always easy doing so. It takes a lot of self-awareness to be able to tell people when they are wrong, but it is needed. Bullies do not have the power or authoritative order over you; they want you to feel inferior, but know and understand that you are in charge of your own life and safety. Do not fret if the end result is not what you expected. You have to stay consistent and remind these bullies of who is in charge.

Makayla Smith is a third-year student at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. She is interning at GirlSpring.

To find more resources on bullying, check out

The post Hey Bullies, It’s not Cool to Be Cruel appeared first on GirlSpring.

Many questions randomly seem to pass through my mind throughout what my biological clock tells me is “day”. Yet, one seems to appear multiple times a day. A version of the question “What is Love?”

Safety, Warmth, Shelter, and Compassion. The feeling of belonging and knowing you are right where you need to be. Not the type of love where requests are met due to obligation or requirement, but the reciprocated type of love. The effortless flow of feeling and simple want of being in the presence of certain people type of love. Not the type that makes you feel like you have to change yourself to be just right, or the type of love that is forced upon you through relation. Simply the indescribable emotion felt only with certain people who motivate you to be better. Without you even knowing it, these people genuinely want the best for you. The type of love where you won’t understand its significance until you have felt it purely.

However, as this question persisted in my mind, I realized that there can’t be one concrete answer to it. Just as an essay or analysis can vary depending on the author, the answer genuinely differs from person to person. A reflective example: Imagine someone who misses their loved one. They make connections throughout the day that resemble that person’s influence on their own life.

For instance, two trees-one shorter than the other-remind a person of someone they miss. The same applies to the people’s relationship. In this example, those who have not shared the same experiences and moments with this person will likely see the trees as random, highlighting why the definition of love depends on your individual experiences. Without the experiences that each person feels individually, the power of Love diminishes with false hope.

Despite the feeling of pure happiness brought by being around loved ones, love can teach us many things as well. The vulnerability felt automatically when expressing love towards people brings joy and growth into our lives. Although love may bring everyone a peculiar connection with trees, it sure can make us do things we didn’t think we would do for anyone.

The post What is Love? appeared first on GirlSpring.

Nostalgic memories littered with crazy fun I had running with her in her backyard or mine

Enjoying my first playdates and daydreams of crushes with her

She was a ballerina, the first best friend I made.

We met in kindergarten, but she became homeschooled after that year

Yet, our friendship grew stronger despite her missed presence at school

She taught me to share friendships with others and show kindness when I felt angry.

She gave me my first taste of girlhood and childhood.

Her mother made the best chocolate brownies, standard at each playdate at her house.

Each time her mom baked them, we would commence our silly spy game to check their status.

Pretending not to catch us, her mom wouldn’t comment on the rush of giggles and two tiny kids crawling fast back to her room from the kitchen. 

We prepped fake food in the play kitchen for my mom and tried clothes on in her mom’s closet pretending to be grown-ups.

Time passed and I entered 4th grade where I came from a different elementary school compared to the two schools that most came from. 

It was a fresh start, but a lonely one. I was placed at square one whereas others were already comfortable in their friend groups.

A kind girl with dirty blonde hair didn’t hesitate to play with me during device day once.

It was there that we bonded over Minecraft.

She never judged and lent me confidence over the insecurities I began to have.

Her laugh was endearing and we shared stories of our families growing our friendship further.

She was a dear friend and remained one no matter the frequency of our contact.

I became more familiar with the other kids and had more acquaintances, so the transition to middle school was easy and comfortable.

A new girl in 6th grade 

She was smart and didn’t hesitate to raise her hand in class

Sharing the same cultural background and hobbies, I wanted to be her friend.

Our main connector was band class

Playing the same instrument and being stand partners, we exchanged jokes and endless conversations.

7th grade, Covid had hit and we fell out a little bit.

8th grade, my half-virtual and half-in-person year we met again.

It’s like we picked up right where we left off

I regretted the year of friendship I had missed out on with her

She was a creative and free soul

A classical dancer, artist, musician, and academic weapon

I was proud to be her friend and her ambition pushed me to pursue more.

In 9th grade, we continued to create ever-lasting memories and became a trio with another special friend we had both made. 

She moved the year after but continued to flourish into a wonderful person.

Though, still in 8th grade, I befriended a peculiar girl I had always seen around since 4th grade but never got the chance to be friends with.

I admired her sense of style and was curious about her personality

It seemed like the odd nature of the last half of eighth-grade year being in person brought me to the meaningful people I couldn’t miss out on having a deep friendship with.

She was a wild card and a personality I had never met before.

It was exhilarating, terrifying, and fun to be friends with her

As a tight-knit friend to this day, she exposed me to things I would never have seen if she wasn’t my friend.

Her nonchalance, crazy art skills, funny and deadpan personality took me on a rollercoaster

I confided personal things to her I had never said to anyone before.

Despite her flippant and endearing craziness, she created a comfortable space for us.

Our friendship was a match between an overthinking talker and a composed (jokingly I would reference her demeanor to the meme “no thoughts, head empty”) listener.

Nearing the end of a significant era of my life, the countless connections and people I’ve met amazes me.

The younger me who always wanted to build a close-knit group of friends feels completely satisfied.

She feels like the small orb of yellow warmth of empathy and friendship has grown its vines into the most magnanimous and magnificent garden of vulnerability and deep relationships.

The post A Friendship Memoir appeared first on GirlSpring.

A friend is a person that you bond with. They are the person you can talk with, ask for advice, and share funny videos. Having a friend is a wonderful feeling! Well…. if they’re a good one of course. We all know that none of us are perfect. Everyone has a character flaw here and there. Even the nicest, kindest friends have issues too, but it can always be talked out. But if the bad qualities begin to overlook the good, then it may be time to look deeper into that person who may or may not be your friend. Sometimes you may even have to see if you may even be that friend.

What’s the difference between a true friend and a fake friend?

Of course, this list varies, from person to person so take this with a grain of salt.

True friends:

• Are respectful of you and your space
• Kind to you and others around you
• Are loyal
• Make you laugh
• Don’t pick fights
• Want to see you do your best
• Are supportive of you and your dreams
• Make you feel your best
• Make you feel comfortable to be yourself without judgment from them
• Are kind to your other friends 
• Are ok with you having other friends besides them
• Make jokes that are funny and lighthearted
• Make you feel your best
• Encourage you when you’re down
• Trust-worthy
• Generous
• Don’t only think about them
• Great listeners
• Positive attitudes
• Have your back
• Wants you to be your best self

Fake friends:

• May appear as nice but can be passive-aggressive at times
• Judge things you say
• May be nice to you but mean to others
• Make you feel like you have to change who you are so they won’t judge you
• May like to start drama
• May try to light heartily peer pressure you
• If you don’t agree with something they do, they may make you feel bad and say “Well my other friend just gets it”
• Make “jokes” about you or others that aren’t funny, then say something like “It’s just a joke” or “it’s not even that serious” or “Can’t you take a joke?”
• Guilt Trip
• Gaslight
• May want you to well but never better than them
• Play the victim
• *Call you ugly names such as “stupid” or “dummy” and disguise it as “okay” because you all are friends (this isn’t ok for siblings either ?)
• Lie to you
• Makes you feel emotionally exhausted after interacting with them
• Ditch you for someone they like
• Ask you questions and judge your answers
• Narcissistic 
• When you do something great they try to do something better than you
• Backhanded Compliments

*Please know that it’s ok to play around and call each other silly or funny names that aren’t hurtful and that you both are truly ok with, like a funny nickname or phrase. Emphasize the word funny. Not something one person thinks is funny, but it’s hurtful to the other person. Hateful things like ugly, dumb, stupid, or even curse words, are not ok. It will never be ok. 

Friends Can Change

Sometimes the friend may be new, or the friend may be old. Some people you’ve been friends with for a long time, change, for better, or worse. If your longtime friend has begun acting towards the negative side lately, maybe talk it out with them, but if they refuse, it might be time to change your circle.

Finding new friends

Be yourself, don’t change so someone can like you. Whoever comes should like you for you. Not your looks (this includes crushes!). Ask questions, be aware of red flags, and stay true to yourself.

Just a little thank you

Want a fun way to thank your friends that are tried and true? Want to be a great friend to your great friend? Here are a few things you can do:

• Write them a card telling them you are grateful for them
• Send a just-because gift for them with all the things they like
• Send them a weekend activity for them to do like a craft 
• When you can, it is always great to ask a friend how they are doing and check on them to show you care

———

So with everything learned, it’s time to get started! Journal what kinds of qualities you find in your friend. See what kinds of things may need to be talked out, or begin to walk different paths. It’s always great to talk to a trusted adult, counselor, or therapist before making these big decisions they can give you advice on how to deal with the situation you’re in with a friend.

Remember, you are loved from above! Be the best you that you can be.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jaina

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The post Friend or Foe?: A Quick Guide to Friendships appeared first on GirlSpring.

In the books I read, and in posters tacked on school hallways, it was the pain of losing a romantic partner that they warned us about. School counselors brought in classrooms to caution us about not losing ourselves in the wake of a breakup, how you, as a person are so much stronger and can be defined as more than just a girlfriend. How it is important to have a support system. What happens when your support system breaks?

Our bonds of friendship, I thought, were strong. They would not break, crack, or falter. We had seen each other through tears and pain, anger and joy. I noticed my friends growing distant from me, not responding to my texts, my smile. Sharing inside jokes but leaving me on the outside. I brushed it off. I was warned, my friends would leave me. That too, I brushed away. What did they know, I thought. I observed my friends as they would leave me behind as I ran behind them. But this distance, it was just a passing thing. We had so many memories together, we had stuck with each other. They wouldn’t, couldn’t leave me behind.

When the blow came, when I was left shattered on the ground, confused and hurt by those I had trusted, I was oblivious. I did not know what I had done, did not know that sometimes, you don’t need to have done anything. Sometimes people can cut you down and move along like it was nothing because for them, it was.

When all the books I had read and all the warnings I had received had focused only on romantic relationships, I was blindsided by my friendship breakup. How could I continue, how could I make new friends if the ones I had, the ones I trusted and loved had looked at me and deemed me unworthy? No one had told me how painful it was to have been stabbed in the back by the ones you’d trusted above all.

Some nights, I would cry. Safely under the covers of my bed, looking back upon our good memories. Most nights though, I was angry. I imagined storming up to them and demanding answers. Though I saw them every day in classes, I never spoke to them, nor them me. I learned to move on, to look at our friendship with not tears, but a bittersweet smile. I cherished my new friends, but I did not forget my old ones. Still, I remember, and still, I am sad. But now, I can also be glad that we had the time together that we had. Now, I can be happy that I am making new memories and living without them. Now I can say that I am better off without them, and I am a different person than who I was then, and I like myself better now.

Now, I know who I am.

The post The Pain of Friends appeared first on GirlSpring.