Valentine’s Day is the day in which we celebrate love. For the few bold people out there who muster the courage to write a Valentine’s Day card and hand it over to their love interest, it is a day they use to their advantage. Of course there is the risk of being rejected, but nothing leaves a bitterer taste than missing an opportunity at love. Valentine’s Day is when the true romantics are separated from the skeptics. There really isn’t anything bad in not really having the pursuit of romantic love as a priority, but love is the best feeling in the world. It’s priceless, infinite, ungraspable and yet everywhere at once. It’s something that is worth fighting for. Ideally, it is best to have a love interest to be a friend perhaps, but sometimes it’s just a crush whom we don’t know if he/she loves us back. This is when Valentine’s Day starts to take a bitter twist. We start to compare ourselves to those seemingly perfect cute couples on social media and start to wonder why can’t we be like them? But, there’s no need to worry because love is subjective. This means that those couples you see on social media or walking down the street might not even be as happy as you give them credit for. And if that wasn’t the case, then good for them. So what do we make of Valentine’s Day?
Photography by Esmeralda Medina
For those of us who are single, how do we go about approaching this day? To be honest, it sucks having to see people who are in love no matter how good you wish them. It’s simply human nature, we all crave love. For people who don’t have a nurturing and supportive group of friends, it’s a bit more challenging to brush off those moments in which we feel sorry for ourselves. It can even take a toll on our self-esteem. We begin wondering why we haven’t found someone. Is it because I am not interesting enough, good looking, smart enough, or simply not cool? But, a word of advice is to never try to rush love or force it just because. It just doesn’t do you or the other person justice. What that will simply end up doing is leaving you frustrated and uncomfortable with yourself. You start to doubt yourself even more because you can’t figure out what you’re doing wrong. So, don’t rush it.
Photography by Esmeralda Medina
For people who genuinely feel upset or bad during Valentine’s because they are single, you are not alone. There are real issues in society that make it more difficult for people who aren’t part of a community, are loners, shy, or simply introverted to find a someone special. It’s super easy to blame yourself and wonder why can’t you just be someone who is lovable. In my point of view, it is nothing to be ashamed of. Every time I am walking on campus, it seems as if everyone is texting while walking or practically while doing anything. More than half of my millennials friends use dating apps, so that’s an option if you are feeling in the mood for dating. Everyone has a different way of going about their social interactions. Though technology and social media does make it a tiny bit more challenging for those traditional communicators. It seems, at times, as if no one really sees you – as in giving you their undivided attention. But, this really isn’t a matter worth worrying about at this point. Most people are well-rounded in their communication skills, so it shouldn’t be that difficult to talk to someone at least.
Photography by Esmeralda Medina
On the upside of things, there is enough love for everyone floating around. You just have to be open to it, once you let it in you can give love, and it’s a never-ending cycle. Romantic love is one of the best gifts we can receive. It’s not one-sided, but there also needs to be a balance. If you find yourself single on Valentine’s Day, simply remember that there is noting wrong with having to wait a bit longer. The best kind of love is that which you find when you aren’t looking at all.