Valentine’s day in quarantine          

Fatema Ahmed has never been a big fan of valentine’s day, she candidly said when asked about her plan to celebrate the day on February 14, 2021. But, the student of a Bangladeshi university added, as her fiancé has been abroad for about one and a half years since their last meetup, this valentine’s day is a special one to her. “I must make a video call and spend a little bit more time together virtually,” she spoke of her plan.

For Fatema, the Covid-19 restriction might not be a celebration determinant but for most others, it is! The day at home might seem like a first time to many, especially when the term “quarantine” is being chanted by the whole world incessantly.

However, there are many romantics not only around the world but also in Bangladesh who tend to spend this day with their loved ones at home. But for the ones who are still uncomfortable with the whole concept of Valentine's Day in home quarantine, a few things can be offered as some unconventional and innovative ways of spending the day with utmost love and warmth!

1. Arranging an indoor picnic

Turn your balcony to your personalised picnic spot for a day using your knack for event management which was veiled until now. Install some lighting; this would bring a magical ambiance to your picnic spot. If you aren’t a plant person yet, bring some greeneries in hanging plant pots. That way, it wouldn’t take up much space either. Roll out a mat, throw in some cushions, set up a small table for a mini buffet on the other end, and tada! You’re good to go!

2. Turning the living room into a movie theatre

Transform your everyday living room into a movie theater with the help of your home theater (if you have any) or just a white bedsheet, a small portable projector, and your laptop! According to Shehrin from BUP, “Netflix and chill is the classic no-fail option”. Sharar who studies in the same university agrees with her “It’s a much better investment of time and it provides instant gratification!”

If you and your loved ones are not able to spend the day in one place, use streaming platforms like discord and zoom and watch the movie together. You might bring in some snacks that you had prepared beforehand. But most importantly, don’t forget to plan what you’re going to watch for the night.

3. Cooking and baking with your loved ones

"They say the way to a man's ( or anyone's really ) heart is through his stomach", if Ian Somerhaut was to say this in the 21st century, he wouldn’t have dared to keep women out of this famous quote of his, which we all would agree to be true. Raidya from IBA, who is also known for being a renowned foodie among her friends agrees on this “Being with my family with food on the side is the best possible way for me to spend the day!”

While we know many of us are not that fond of cooking because of our callow cooking hand, 14th February might be your day to gather some of that lost interest and put them into action. The bonus that comes along with the specialty of the day is that you’d be having an extra pair of hands (or more) to help you out with your private cooking rendezvous. 

4. Creating memorabilia with your valentine

Remember how we used to prepare cards for our friends during Eids as children and how we still hoard them like some precious treasures? Although with time this habit of ours has been long lost, this Valentine’s Day might be the time to redo it by creating memorabilia, with or for your loved ones! Especially the people who are averse to cooking, creating something fun and innovative like molding a clay vase together, planting a petunia, or just putting pictures together in an album can be great ways to pass your day at home.

According to Washifa who is a resident of Rangpur and a true fan of Bollywood movies, “I’d create these small memory pieces so that when I get old, I’d be able to look at these and think about how beautiful the days of the past used to be!”

5. Recreating your first date, this time at home

Anika (single name used) is currently in her sophomore year of undergrad and still lives with her parents. When she was asked to reveal her thoughts on the recreation of the first date, she uttered this famous quote of Guillermo del Toro “Watching a movie for the first time is a flirt. Re-watching it is a date!” In case you’re married or currently, in a live-in relationship, don’t lookout for any other ways and just do this. Who doesn’t like to submerge in the mellow memories of their first date from time to time? I know many of you would be able to relate to this most popular way of procrastinating.

Well, the time has come to live the memories by recreating your first date at home. “Recreating memories from the first date that only two persons shared seems pretty special,” says Fariha, a current student of IBA who is yet to get married and implement this idea! Try to create a similar setting like that of your first date venue, prepare the foods that you had on that day or order them online, and just walk through your memories!

6. Sending your loved ones some gifts

Aryan Rahman, who is going to finish his undergraduate studies soon, is a supporter of this idea. “I think sending gifts to the people who matter, especially when we are not able to meet due to the current circumstances, can be a great way of making them feel special and letting them know that they matter. With so many delivery services being prevalent, the overall process has become way a lot easier”, he said.

Rifah Nawar is a sophomore at IBA-DU.

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