I am a strong believer that Valentine’s Day is the most underappreciated holiday.
Countless people, frequently college-aged students, groan when February comes around, unable to see the greatness that is right in front of them. These people need to get over themselves on Valentine’s Day, whether or not they are celebrating with a significant other, and allow themselves to let go of their negativity, relax and enjoy.
Valentine’s Day may be a commercial ploy, but that does not make the holiday off limits for enjoyment. Plenty of other holidays, such as Christmas, Hanukkah and Easter, have also become commercialized over time, but those holidays do not face nearly as much resentment when their season comes around.
Valentine’s Day acts as an annual reminder to show loved ones how much they mean to us, whether that be through gifts, heartfelt messages or simply spending time together. Buying gifts may benefit big businesses, but that does not mean that the public cannot enjoy the sentiments behind the idea.
But the main reason that people complain is because of the inevitable public displays of affection, both in person and on social media. Obviously, PDA can be annoying after a certain point. However, most of this hatred is simply bitterness some individuals feel because some people are in relationships while others are not.
I am here to propose the utterly crazy idea that no one needs to be in a relationship in order to have a fantastic Valentine’s Day.
First of all, Valentine’s Day may be targeted at couples, but that does not mean that friends and families cannot take the opportunity to share their love for each other.
“Galentine’s Day” has become a popular phrase in recent years, and there is absolutely nothing wrong in showing love to gal pals instead of a significant other. Because guess what? Friends love chocolate just as much as romantic partners love chocolate! There is nothing wrong with celebrating however it fits your own life.
To me, Valentine’s Day is really about finding a reason to celebrate with during a time of the year that is rather dull due to the lack of holidays and cold weather. It is a little mental break for us students, and no one should feel as if they need to keep up a tough front and hate on the holiday when they could be eating chocolate and having some fun.
There is nothing wrong with Valentine’s Day, and everyone should be able to celebrate. Just enjoy the opportunity to relax on a random day in the middle of February. Don’t spoil the fun for you and everyone around you.
Email Alyssa Slovin at
