By Staff Writer Veronica Zelner –
For almost as long as I can remember, it seems that as soon as the new year rolls in, our local grocery and convenience stores are painted in a sea of pink, red, and heart shapes. The significance of Valentine’s Day has been engrained in the minds of young Americans from the time we are in grade school. I can vividly recall the excitement of having my classmate give me candy attached to a preprinted card. As I got older, the use of social media and the internet evolved to be in the foreground of our daily lives; the “Instagram Age” has created a desire for a picture-perfect lifestyle. This influence has spread across all facets of life, including the way we view romance and relationships. In turn, the internet made it seem that being single on February 14th was an inherently bad thing.
I’m here to tell you that this is just not true.
TikTok and Instagram pages are curated and glamorized, which makes it easy to be dissatisfied with your own reality. Far too often I have seen influencers produce extravagant and costly displays of affection, idealizing the need for romance just for a virtual like or thumbs up; Valentine’s Day is no exception to this. This skews what we expect from the people we love and makes one lose sight of what’s truly important.
Valentine’s day is a holiday about love.
Whether it’s familial love, friendship, pet ownership, or self-love, there are so many ways to express your care for someone which does not fall into the strict category of “For Couples Only”. From a young age, my dad tried to reinforce this idea by not only getting Valentine’s Day gifts for my mom but also always leaving flowers and cards for my sister and me. In 7th grade, my parents helped me throw a “Galentines Day” party where I invited my girlfriends over, made heart-shaped sandwiches, and baked treats. For this reason, I will forever have an appreciation for Valentine’s Day.
Instead of feeling down about not having a “traditional” Valentine, the holiday can become so gratifying by prioritizing the people around you or even yourself. Use February 14th to celebrate the virtue of love, as it is in all aspects of your life, not just on Valentine’s Day.
Photo by Student Photographer Rivka Wolin