For the past 19 years, I haven’t had a Valentine during the month of February. I’ve spent years pining after the idea of having a boyfriend for this spectacular holiday of love, but now I finally do, and as much as I’ve looked forward to this moment, it still sucks.
Valentine’s Day is so stressful, and I’m going to tell you why:
Gifts. Finding a gift for your significant other is the absolute worst. Whether it’s for Christmas, their birthday, or V-Day, it’s always difficult. What do you give someone who already has everything?
Paying for Gifts or V-Day Plans. I LOVE spending money on gifts– I’d spend millions on all my friends if I could. But the second I have to pay for shipping, I reconsider everything. As for plans? If you want to have a nice dinner, you’re going to have to pay a lot. Before you even know it, you’ve spent $100 on Valentine’s Day gifts and celebrations.
Etsy sellers are annoying and unaccommodating. GOD FORBID you need a custom order for Valentine’s Day, and even better, GOD FORBID you wait until three weeks ahead of time to place the order. Better start ordering things a year in advance so you don’t have to pay the extra $10 shipping fee and spend the next two weeks anxious about whether or not it’ll come in on time.
Making V-Day plans is difficult. I’m sorry, but when Valentine’s Day is on a Thursday, the professors for my Friday classes aren’t just going to say it’s okay for me to not do my homework just for a capitalist holiday. So, sorry babe, but I’ve got homework to do. Study date?
Having single friends makes me feel bad. I want to come home from my study date and talk about how awesome it was, but I can’t! I can’t brag to single friends because we all know how it feels to be alone on V-Day.
The Instagram posts. So many happy couples. So many prom pose pictures. So many stereotypically posed pictures. So. Many. To. Scroll. Through.
Why is Valentine’s Day even so important? If you really love each other, shouldn’t every day be just as special? Plus, isn’t Valentine’s Day just a capitalist holiday?
So, as much as single people complain about Valentine’s Day, it’s no picnic for people in relationships either. If anything, it’s harder.
But it does have some perks. You get to take a day and just celebrate your relationship, your love, and the happiness you bring each other. You can give gifts to commemorate how long you’ve been together, your favorite aspects of your relationship, or your happiest moments together.
Valentine’s Day isn’t just a day to flaunt your relationship on Instagram- it’s a day to celebrate the universe’s efforts to bring you to someone who you love, and that’s a pretty good reason to celebrate :)