Why it’s not all it’s cracked up to be:
All over campus we can hear the groans of the single student as Valentine’s Day gets closer and closer. We listen as people concoct schemes to make this holiday one for the books, even though they don’t have a significant other to celebrate it with. There are plans to pool together money to buy cakes and nestle in for the night with friends and sappy romance movies. Rarely do the complaints of the taken come up as the day of love draws near, but rest assured, they are out there.
I have been in a relationship for over a year and a half; my girlfriend and I have gone through Christmas and birthdays just fine – but there’s something very different about this holiday that has us, and other couples I know, grumbling. At Christmas time there is a lot less pressure because getting presents is like a team scavenger hunt. Her dad likes this author, and my mom loves that fragrance, and whatever we see along the way that we like we get- it’s something fun to do together. On your birthday the whole day is about you and everyone knows it. It’s not just a gift from your significant other, it’s gifts from your family and friends as well, and everyone is involved.
This is not the case for Valentine’s Day. This is a day that is supposed to be about celebrating the love that you have for each other, but for me it feels like the exact opposite. In movies you see this beautiful dinner and well thought out present and everyone is happy and in love. Is that how it works in real life? Not exactly, at least not for the average young couple. The days leading up to The Day there’s lying about where you’re going when you sneak out to buy them a gift. Team work goes straight out the window on this day, unlike like the fun you have during Christmastime. Then when you finally get to the store the only things you see are tacky chocolate boxes shaped like hearts and oversized stuffed animals with beady eyes that seemingly stare into your soul. If you try to think of something heartfelt the only thing you remember is that their favorite snack is Smartfood, and they are in desperate need of a toe nail trimmer. Not very romantic gifts. Finally, there is the anxiety of giving the present because it has to be something equal and you don’t know what you got each other. So she could be handing you this amazing locket and all you manage to get was an at-home pedicure set. Your dinner is going to get awkward really quickly.
The final cliché, romantic gesture that never goes as intended, is the dinner. All the romantic restaurants in your area were already booked out and you know you’ll get sh*t for not making that reservation sooner. Then when you finally find the place it’s packed with other couples as making strange attempts at romance that must look hilarious from an on-lookers perspective. While everything at the restaurant can be awkward and uncomfortable and forced, the only thing that could possibly make it worse is a proposal. One poor sap gets down on one knee and the whole restaurant stops, turns and stares. The lull to follow is the worst because you know whoever you’re sitting with is going to have one of two reactions. On the one hand, they could be terrified that it was your own intention to propose and they are not ready for that commitment. On the other hand, they are praying for the proposal to come and being able to start your long lasting life together. The bonus reaction is when they know there’s no proposal, but now they want it. The questions start coming about where you see things going in the future, and what you want to name your kids.
Sure, being single on Valentine’s Day is tough because you’re surrounded by consumerist America reminding you how alone you are and that su**s. But not even The Bachelor himself could understand the pressure of Valentine’s Day for couples everywhere. First is finding the perfect present. Then finding the perfect setting to spend the night together. And, honestly, don’t even get me started on the sex.
With all this said, people in relationships you should spend every day loving and cherishing your significant other, not wait just for just one day a year that doesn’t amount to much. And for those of you single pringles out there, don’t worry, you’re not missing all that you think you are.