Valentine’s day is rapidly approaching. Flowers and chocolates are cluttering the aisles of stores and everything seems to be painted red and pink. Love is in the air and whether you embrace it or denounce it; it is definitely upon us.

     Valentine’s day is all about love which doesn’t mean this holiday is only for people in a relationship. It is for all kinds of love whether it is romantic, platonic, or self-love. Even though it is accused of being only commercial, I think any day that is dedicated to loving and doing nice things toward others is something to celebrate.

     It is time for “lonely” people to stop discluding themselves from doing anything on the 14th. Make the most of it and enjoy the loving relationships that are already in your life. Here are some ways you can still celebrate even if you are single.

    Take yourself out on a dinner date. Go get dressed up and go out to a nice restaurant either with some friends or by yourself.

     Have a self-care day. Hit up a salon, put on a face mask, buy some chocolates, do whatever makes you feel pretty and pampered. Treat yourself!

     Go out to a movie. Even though this option might be crowded with couples doing couples things, it is still a fun activity to do solo. 

    Stay at home and have a lazy day. There is nothing wrong with staying back, putting on your favorite rom-com, and ordering in. Don’t feel pressured to go out if you don’t want to.

     Try something new. Use the day to try new activities that you wouldn’t normally do. Go to a rock climbing place, go on a hike, go to a museum, paint something. Partaking in new experiences can be exciting and refreshing. 

     Whatever you decide to do on the 14th, try to utilize the day to spread love, in any form it may be in. Don’t dwell on people or relationships you don’t have. Take some time to appreciate the love that is in your life and celebrate it. 

      At the end of the day, relationships can come and go, but you are the one who has to live with yourself for the rest of your life. And the quality of that relationship will determine the quality of all your other relationships. You can’t rely on others to make you happy. Learn how to love yourself and then happiness will come.

     Valentine’s Day is the time to celebrate your loved ones and express the love you have for them. Being able to show how much you care for someone is especially important, and there are many ways to do that.
     Although chocolate and roses can make pretty good gifts, the best thing you can do for your loved one is to spend time with them and show them you care. You could never go wrong with a heartfelt card, but most of the time, actions speak louder than words.
     You could make a home-cooked meal for you two to share with just each other. It can be a great way to experience something romantic and show how much you care for each other. After you finish eating, you could experiment with different dessert recipes. Baking with someone important to you could be extremely fun and exciting. If it doesn’t work out well, you guys can share a laugh, and if it does, you get to share a delicious dessert.
     Now, if you are a music fan, you could make playlists for each other or even make one together. Add all the songs that remind you of each other or of the special memories you have made together. Connecting with each other through music can create a connection between you and your special someone.
     Something as simple as a walk could be a great experience you could share with your significant other. A walk, whether it be on a beach, a hiking trail, or even a stroll around your neighborhood, would allow you to spend quality time with each other.
     Another thing you can do is get each other meaningful gifts. Gifts that show how much you love and appreciate the other person. Some people’s love language is giving or receiving gifts and that can be a great way to show you care.
     Along with the gifts, writing a heartfelt letter can make a significant impact on their day. Expressing how much you care for someone with words is one of the best things you can do. A letter is something you can treasure forever and never forget.
     There are many ways to express your love and appreciation for someone special. So, if you are lucky enough to have found love, do not be afraid to show it. Knowing that someone cares for you enough to do one of these things is one of the best gifts you can receive on Valentine’s Day.

     The game is neck and neck, and both teams are sweating, gasping for air. They’ve been playing for what feels like forever, and yet everyone on that court is still pushing through, and will do anything to make sure that ball does not drop, throwing their bodies across the court and even pushing their own teammates out of the way to prevent it.

     The players on this court do not just have incredible strength and speed, but also an added sense of teamwork and good sportsmanship. They are not just well-rounded volleyball players, but also just well-rounded people, and while these qualities can be obtained through natural talent, the attributes usually originate from their equally talented coaches, our own girl’s volleyball team being coached by the brilliant Brooke Nicholson, a skillful woman that I had the pleasure of learning about.

     From the young age of nine, Nicholson found herself drawn to the sport through her step sister. While she was going on her own high school volleyball journey, Nicholson would sit and watch as the teams practiced and played games, sometimes even walking from school to home games. From those moments spent enjoying watching her sister play volleyball, Nicholson developed a large passion for the sport, one that she continued throughout her life.

     And from then on, she was rooted for success. During her sophomore year of high school here at Mission, Nicholson had made the varsity team which was a huge personal goal she had hoped to accomplish.

     Making the varsity team was not the only achievement she was able to make during her high school career. While playing on the team, Nicholson and her teammates were able to become the first girls volleyball team at MVHS to make it into the CIF semifinals, an honor that even now Coach Brooke Nicholson looks back on as one of the proudest moments of her career.

      Coach Nicholson did not just want to play the sport she loved, however; she also wished to inspire others to experience volleyball. After her incredible time playing for MVHS, she decided to turn a new leaf and became an assistant coach at 18 years old. At this point, Nicholson was also attending Concordia University, where she was majoring in Sports Medicine and Kinesiology.

     From there, she found herself coaching girls volleyball for Mission, returning to her alma mater still doing the thing she loved when she was enrolled. Her time at Mission has been a memorable journey, one that brought multiple victories and shaped some of the greatest volleyball players Mission has ever seen.

     Last year’s season was a particularly unforgettable yet bittersweet part of Nicholson’s career. She unfortunately had to say goodbye to ten seniors who she had been with during their entire high school experience, but was lucky enough to be able to make their last year memorable by helping them get to CIF, a victory which Nicholson labeled as one of her proudest moments while coaching for Mission.

     However, that is not to say this year’s season wasn’t one for the books. To Nicholson, the freshmen that had recently joined the program showed great potential and positivity throughout their first season. “The best part of [this year] was knowing that we’re going to be strong in the next few years to come.”

     Throughout her years of playing and coaching, Nicholson learned many valuable tips that she now applies to her players. One of the most important pieces of advice to her when it comes to volleyball is to learn how to embrace uncomfortableness. “[Volleyball] is a hard sport at the beginning, but it’s really rewarding once it clicks.”

     While on and off the court, Nicholson encourages her young players to be strong, independent, and admirable women, something that she hopes they take away from the sport along with the importance of character building, working with others, and motivation. “It’s all these things that are a part of being an adult that you can learn from a fun sport.”

     It is clear that Nicholson’s passion for volleyball and the effort she puts into it is something that is a part of who she is, or in her own words an “obsession/identity”. No matter how you phrase it, the change she inflicts onto the program is one that alters the program for the better, and her legacy will hopefully be passed down for generations to come.