Exams attack you from every corner, you've got the worst cold of the decade, Clinton's making feeble attempts to appear important, Tonya Harding is trying to maim her way to the Olympics, you haven't even got enough money to buy more tissues for your runny nose and then someone tells you that Valentine's Day is next week.

For those of us who have been single for every Valentine's Day of our lives, catchy phrases like, "Death-To-Couples Day" seem more appropriate for this depressing holiday. As happy couples waltz around buying flowers, cards, candies and other nauseating tokens of love they can find, the eternally single moan and bury their heads under the pillows in anticipated agony of the reminder that there is no significant other to celebrate this holiday.

Now wait a minute! Is it really that bad? I've never spent Valentine's Day with a sweetheart and I've always dreaded the disgusting holiday -- but today I've changed my mind. You see, I was reading a message on my E-mail account from a friend who was telling me about his new love. As the romantic details of their weekend spilled out on the screen before me, I remembered the excitement you feel when you first start dating someone.

It's fresh, exasperating; your head spins just wondering when you will see your love again. When you're together, time doesn't matter, classes don't matter, your cold is the last thing from your mind, Clinton could start a war and you wouldn't care, Nancy Kerrigan could become a quadriplegic, and somehow there's enough money to buy that special someone two cards, a rose, and a dinner at Chi Chi's. It's love and it's the most wonderful thing in the world.

So, instead of hating the holiday and feeling sorry for yourself, remember the times when you were with someone special. Remember the butterflies in your stomach, the lack of concentration you had for everything except that someone, long talks, the passionate kisses and their admiring eyes and remember that although you may be single, Valentine's Day can still be one of the most precious holidays of the year.

Don't spend it alone. Call up a friend and reminisce, enjoying the opportunity to be uncontrollably romantic.