Category: Diya

By Diya Shah

As a senior this year, I want my blog post to reflect on the past few years here at Boston University. Since my first semester, I have added two minors in Journalism as well as Entrepreneurship. I have joined and left several clubs. I will be completing all of my Hub requirements this semester. I went abroad to London last fall and lived there for 4 months while pursuing an internship. I joined a dance team and am now the senior advisor of the team, where I am able to coach and support the team in a unique way. I have met hundreds of people since freshman year. I have also not seen some people since freshman year. These past years have been all about reform, change, and growth. I am excited to continue doing so even afterwards as well. Good luck to all the freshmen this year. Just know that by senior year, you will be a whole new person.

By: Diya Shah

Valentine’s Day — a holiday that often gets tangled up with romantic expectations, red roses, and heart-shaped chocolates. For many, it’s a day to celebrate love in all its forms, particularly romantic love. However, for those who are single, the holiday can feel like a reminder of what’s missing. The pressure to conform to societal expectations of “coupledom” can be overwhelming. But here's the truth: it’s absolutely okay to be single on Valentine’s Day — in fact, it can be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate yourself.

 

Society's Pressure to Pair Up

Let’s face it: from the moment the calendar flips to February, we are bombarded with messages about love and romance. Everywhere we turn, there are ads, social media posts, and even well-meaning friends reminding us of the significance of Valentine’s Day for couples. It can make anyone who is single feel like they’re missing out or not living up to the holiday’s expectations.

But here's something important to remember: being single is not a status to be fixed or something to feel ashamed of. It’s simply a part of life that comes and goes. Just because it’s Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you need a partner to validate your worth or define your happiness.

 

 It’s About Self-Love

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about finding someone to love — it can be about remembering the most important person in your life: *you*. Practicing self-love is crucial in building a happy, fulfilling life, and what better time to do that than on a day traditionally centered around affection and care?

Take this opportunity to do something special just for you. Whether it’s indulging in your favorite meal, taking a long walk in nature, watching your favorite movie, or simply treating yourself to something you enjoy, self-care can be just as rewarding as any romantic gesture. After all, how can you truly love someone else if you don’t fully love and care for yourself first?

 

 Relationships Aren’t the Only Source of Fulfillment

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that being in a relationship is the key to happiness and fulfillment. We’re constantly told that love is the ultimate goal, but the reality is that there are many paths to happiness — and romantic love is just one of them. The love you have for your friends, family, pets, hobbies, and even your community can be just as meaningful and fulfilling.

Single life can offer incredible opportunities for personal growth, independence, and adventure. Use this Valentine’s Day as a chance to reflect on the many ways you’re loved — not just by others, but by yourself. Celebrate the strong bonds you’ve built, whether they’re with loved ones or with yourself.

 

 The Power of Friendship

Valentine’s Day isn’t exclusively about romantic love. It's also a celebration of affection between friends, family, and other important people in your life. Take a moment to reach out to your friends and let them know how much you appreciate them. Whether it’s sending a heartfelt text, planning a fun get-together, or just sharing a laugh, friendship is a beautiful and essential form of love. 

Some of the best Valentine’s Days are spent with close friends, where the focus shifts from romance to the joy of connection. Grab a group of friends, plan a Galentine’s Day or Bro’s Night Out, and celebrate the unique relationships that don’t need to fit into the “couple” mold to be meaningful.

 

 The Freedom of Being Single

When you're single, you have the ultimate freedom. You can focus on your own goals, hobbies, and dreams without needing to compromise. It’s a time to discover who you are without the influence of another person’s expectations or desires. Valentine’s Day can be a reminder of the power of this freedom — the ability to carve your own path, chase your passions, and live life on your own terms.

You’re in charge of your happiness, and there’s something incredibly empowering about that. This Valentine’s Day, allow yourself to embrace the freedom that singlehood brings — whether that means treating yourself, traveling, or simply enjoying a quiet night in.

 

Let Go of Comparison

One of the most important things to remember on Valentine’s Day is to avoid comparing your journey to anyone else’s. Social media, in particular, can make it easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of couples showing off their romantic gifts, dinners, and getaways. But remember, what you see online is often curated and filtered. Everyone’s relationship journey is different, and comparison rarely leads to contentment.

Embrace where you are in your life — single or otherwise. Valentine’s Day is just one day, and it doesn’t define your worth, happiness, or future. Trust that love will come when the time is right, and in the meantime, enjoy all the incredible things that single life has to offer.

 

So, go ahead — enjoy the day in your own special way. Your happiness isn’t dependent on anyone but yourself.

I am a dancer on Boston University's premier Garba and Raas dance team, BU Fatakada, so I wanted to tell you all a little bit about it! To start, I would like to answer the question that many of you probably have right now, What is Garba and Raas? Garba and Raas is the traditional folk dance style of a certain state in India, this state is called Gujarat. These dance styles are popularly performed in Gujarat during the Hindu festival/holiday of Navratri and both are very high energy and fast paced dance styles where the dancers are dancing in a circle around a religious idol usually. Raas specifically, is done with sticks in the dancers hands and these sticks are called Dandiya. On the collegiate level, Garba and Raas has been taken to a whole new extent with faster choreography and extravagant themes! For our team, Fatakada, which means firework in the language of Gujarati which is spoken in Gujarat, (which is very fitting because our energetic and lively dancing which resembles the symbolism of a firework) our theme this year was based on the movie Home Alone for our competition season which means we included certain gimmicks and allusions to the movie with different dialogues and scenes into our set. After sending an audition video to a few competitions we got into three and attended two of them this year! One of our competitions was in Tampa Florida and the next one was at the University of Maryland in College Park! While we unfortunately did not take home any trophies this year, we had a whole lot of fun at our competitions where we met teams from all around the country and we sure will take home trophies in the years to come!