By Alyse Kaminski
2/7/18
January is finally over, and I have to say, the entire month has felt a like a whole year. But here we are in February. This time of year, I always feel something lurking up on me, and it’s called Valentine’s Day. Now, I know people have mixed opinions about Feb. 14, and I feel that.
See, there are two opposing viewpoints on Valentine’s Day, and honestly, there are aspects of both I agree with.
A lot of people think the “Day of Love” isn’t for love at all, but rather for spending money. I totally get that. There’s a part of me that says, “Don’t buy into capitalist holidays.” However, if you want to buy a box of chocolates for your significant other, I say do it. No one is stopping you, not even the adversaries of consumerism.
Other opposers of Valentine’s Day say, “I don’t need one day a year to show someone I love them,” and that I also agree with them. I hope Feb. 14 is not the only day of the year you tell your significant other how you really feel about them, and if it is, you may want to consider finding that special person that actually makes your heart flutter. That’s just my suggestion, but I also have to say, “What do I know about that?” I’m an 18 year old college student who spends her Friday nights cozied up in a blanket, watching reality TV and wondering why exactly Arie has kept Bekah M. around on this season of The Bachelor.
On the other hand, there are the Valentine’s Day enthusiasts. You know, these are people who have those candy hearts ready to go. Those candies are pure sugar-shaped hearts that have phrases like “kiss me” or “crazy 4 u” written on them. Other admirers of the big day are likely to dress in red or pink, and they can be seen quoting their favorite romantic comedies throughout the day. Side note, but I’m a real lover of rom-coms. If anyone ever wants to watch Love Actually with someone, I’m your girl (serious inquiries only).
Personally, I stroll down the magical halls of St. Ann’s, and I see doors with red and pink hearts and sayings such as “Be mine.” On my walk to my dorm, I am reminded of my relationship status. One thing I have noticed about this holiday is that it is primarily couples who enjoy it. I am the prime example: Last year, I was so excited to go to dinner with my (then) boyfriend and exchange gifts, but now that it’s just me here, I don’t have an affinity for the day. I’m just preparing to see a load of Instagram posts with a caption that’ll sound like, “Happy Valentine’s Day to my love, thanks for making me feel like a princess.”
So, where does my opinion really fall on this topic? I’ve talked about the capitalist corruption involving Valentine’s Day, and I get that point. I do think it’s commercialized, but honestly, does that make it evil? I guess what I mean by that is if two people want a day to celebrate being together, it’s not bad at all. Of course, you should tell your significant other that you love them often, but a day dedicated to all love is kind of nice. See, people tend to think that Valentine’s Day is for romantic love only, but it shouldn’t be.
This brings me to my biggest opinion here: If Valentine’s Day is “the day of love,” then use it as an opportunity to tell anyone you love them. A lot of us here are students and we miss our families, so give yours a call and just say, “ I love you.” Maybe do something sweet for your roommate or tell a professor that they are appreciated. And ladies, if you’re calling your dog your valentine, then at least you have one good boy in your life. The truth is, love comes in a lot of forms, and not all of it needs to be an expressed with those three little words and a romantic night out.
I think there is one thing we can all agree on no matter where you stand on today’s issues: A day to express love and be kind is what we all need. We see so many headlines about all the hate going on in the world; it brings me down, and I’m sure it does for you, too. Certainly, a day about love isn’t a bad thing to have going for us.
On a final note, I guess it was all easier when our biggest Valentine’s Day struggle was who was going to get the best Hannah Montana valentine at your third grade class party.
