This year, Valentine’s day looks different than it has in the past. The days of being handed flowers, chocolates, and a pickleball set from my boyfriend are now memories. When I facetime him on the fourteenth I will be reminded of our in person dinner dates and will quickly be brought to the reality that there is six hours of driving between us. In the spirit of keeping the holiday alive I am shipping a box of goodies and hoping that it will make it to his dorm in time. Even with these arrangements, I know on Valentine’s day I will feel a tinge of sadness throughout the day.
Freshman year has been filled with firsts, especially the first times doing things away from your parents. My mom has always been a lover of Valentine’s day. My mom made it her priority to make sure her daughters always felt chosen and valued on Valentine’s day. Every year on Valentine’s day I wake up to find a basket of goodies outside my door with a card from my parents asking me to be their valentine. This year my mom gave me my present over winter break to take back to campus as long as I promised not to open it until the fourteenth. Although I won’t open my door in anticipation this year, I will most likely cry when reading her card, as I now know what it feels like to miss my parents.
Even though all this change has changed the way I celebrate my Valentine’s Day traditions, I luckily still get to feel the love and appreciation of those who choose me to be their valentine every year.Â