I’ve had my fair share of memorable Valentine’s Days, but I’ve also had my not-so-good ones. The reality of Valentine’s Day is that it’s a day to be spent with your loved ones – friends, family or your SO, preferably filled with gifts, of course.
So why do I feel like Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be that big of a deal?
I’m not a huge fan of using the word hate, which is why I won’t use it for this purpose. Valentine’s Day to me shouldn’t have to be split into two distinct categories. This day shouldn’t be black and white. You shouldn’t have to either love Valentine’s Day or hate it. It’s okay to have a certain opinion of Valentine’s Day, and this opinion of yours can range from an entire broad spectrum of feelings towards this day, or week leading up to it.
For me, Valentine’s Day has always been a day that gives me anxiety. Kind of like the few weeks leading up to your big sweet 16th birthday or your 21st birthday celebration. There’s always some kind of emotions attached to February 14th even though there really shouldn’t be. There shouldn’t be all this nervousness as to what to get your significant other, whether or not you’ve booked dinner reservations months in advance, or the fact that you even HAVE someone to spend the day with. So what if your family is working? So what if your friends are all busy with their SO? It’s okay to spend the day just like any other day of the year.
And of course, it’s definitely okay to be excited for Valentine’s Day – from the getting ready to the extraordinary moments that you have throughout your day, yes, it’s okay to love and get excited for Valentine’s day. But it’s also important not to get in over your head. Valentine’s Day was commercially designed to hijack profits, as well as to make one day in the year more meaningful than it should be, when it really isn’t. Have fun with it, love a little, or love a lot – and don’t forget to enjoy the company of your loved ones for the other 364 days of the year, too.
Be sure to check out Her Campus U-Vic’s contrasting opinion on Valentine’s Day!