MADD Teen Influencer
February 2026
by Ben Haworth, MADD Teen Influencer Self-Care on Valentine’s Day: A Freshman Perspective from Tufts 2
Valentine’s Day on a college campus is hard to ignore. There are flowers in the dining hall, couples walking across the Academic Quad, and friends making dinner plans. As a single freshman at Tufts, it would be easy to let the day feel like it’s about what I don’t have. This year, though, I’m planning to approach it differently. Instead of focusing on relationships, I’m focusing on taking care of myself. Freshman year already comes with a lot. New classes, harder workloads, new friends, and the pressure to figure things out can make even a normal week feel intense. Add a holiday centered on relationships, and it can start to feel like one more thing to measure yourself against. I don’t need that. What I need is a reset. For me, self-care can be pretty simple. I’m planning to go to the gym in the morning instead of staying in bed scrolling. I’ll make sure I actually eat three meals instead of grabbing snacks between classes. I’m going to call home for a few minutes and talk to people who know me beyond college. Small things, but I know they’ll help the day feel steady instead of overwhelming.
I’m also trying to shift my mindset. Being single isn’t a problem—it’s just where I am right now. College is about building independence and figuring out who you are. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about romance; it can be about appreciation. I plan to check in with a couple of friends, grab dinner with people from my dorm, and remind myself that connection doesn’t only look one way. If there’s one thing I’m learning this year, it’s that self-care doesn’t have to be
complicated. Sometimes it’s just choosing not to compare, not to rush, and not to let one day define how you feel about yourself. As a freshman at Tufts, that feels like a pretty good way to spend Valentine’s Day.
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