These days, we get a lot of information from the Internet.
You're sick? Google it. You're stuck on a crossword puzzle? Google it. Can't remember the name of that great movie? Google it.
But for the day that's in it, I think that one thing we shouldn't be Google-ing is love.
Yet, taking a quick flick through Facebook, I come across article upon article telling me that 'These three signs mean your relationship is going to last' and 'How to make this Valentine's Day the best one yet'.
One website I stumbled upon had five articles in a row from 'experts' telling its readers how to do Valentine's Day or how to survive it if you're single.
But why do we need this? Why do we need a stranger to validate our relationships? And why the f*ck is someone telling you that you need to survive this day? It's not the zombie apocalypse.
In an article titled 'Valentine's Day: how to survive and achieve romantic enlightenment', I came across a paragraph that reads, "Valentine's Day is a 'thing' and you're going to do it properly. You spend 42 hours choosing an outfit, then cry when you still don't look genuinely pretty."
Seriously? Is every girl who reads this supposed to believe that this how Valentine's Day should be? That we have to put ourselves under that much pressure 'for the day that's in it'?
We rely so much on these 'Internet professionals', but we don't even know who they are. So, why should we trust them?
Because, let's be honest – if you have a fight with your other half, you're going to click into that article that reads 'Experts say this is the one sure-fire sign your relationship is in trouble' and then you're going to freak TF out that your partner is going to break up with you because the article says he isn't your soulmate.
These articles are far from helpful and probably put more worry in us than anything else. It's so unnecessary.
And from these articles, there's a fall back effect in society.
On a recent night out, I was told by an acquaintance I was too young to be in a relationship, and that she read on the Internet that a person of my age shouldn't be tied down to a man, which she agrees with.
But why was it her business? And why was she believing these people on the Internet even though I, in person, was telling her I was happy?
The same goes for people who are single. One of my close friends is at breaking-point with people telling her to "get a man." And while she dibs her toe in the dating department, she's content with her single life and is thriving in her career – so why are people pressuring her to settle down?
And the laughable thing is, we're the same age. Yet, I shouldn't be with my partner and she should be with one.
Look, we all want that happy ending. We all want successful careers and loving relationships – but we need to start trusting ourselves more and stop believing everything these people behind the keyboard tell us.
Whether you're single or partnered-up, if you're happy, you're happy. We all need to stop putting such unnecessary strain on ourselves because the Internet is telling us that something is wrong – when really, for the most part, everything is perfectly fine.
Trust your family, trust your friends, hell, trust your dog… but most importantly, when it comes to your love life, trust yourself.
