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Life

What Does Valentine’s Day Mean to You?

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oregon chapter.

As Valentine’s Day is approaching, I like to think about what this holiday means to people. Whether if you are with a significant other or single, I think Valentine’s Day can be a holiday for everyone. So I often wonder, what does Valentine’s Day mean to you?

I have celebrated Valentine’s Day every year for as long as I can remember. It has become one of my favorite holidays, and I look forward to it each year. Even though I celebrate Valentine’s Day every year, I have never actually celebrated it with a significant other. Since I was a little girl my family has always made Valentine’s Day so special for me. When I was a kid they would write me nice notes, or bring me flowers and I also would do the same for them. I remember the day being filled with so much love from my family and friends, I would not even notice that there was no significant other. As kids, we are taught to show love to everyone on this day. We write valentines for all of our classmates, friends in other classes and even our family. As we get older that begins to change. The older we get the harder this holiday is for some people. If you have a significant other, this is a fun day to spend together and is a reminder of how much you love each other. For anyone who is single, it seems to be a reminder of how single you are. Many even refer to it as, Singles Awareness Day. People who are single tend to dread Valentine’s Day. I wonder if we are taught as kids to spend this day loving others, why does that have to change when we get older?

For me, Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love, in all its different forms. When I think about this day I think about letting the people in my life, no matter who they are, know how much they mean to me. Whether that is celebrating with my girlfriends, on the couch watching movies. Or maybe writing cards and mailing it to family members that are away. Or even spending the day by myself eating a heart-shaped pizza, while wearing a face mask, because self-love is important to ladies. I think that it is important that we spend this day to remind ourselves how much love is in our lives no matter what kind of love or from who it may be from. To me, Valentines Day means, showing and appreciating the love in my life. So, what does Valentine’s Day mean to you?

 

Alyssa Arcos

Oregon '21

Hi! I am Alyssa, my friends call me lyss. I was born and raised in Southern California and go to Disneyland way too often. I am a junior at the University of Oregon majoring in public relations and advertising. I am really passionate about educating others on sexual assault and how to have healthy and consensual relationships. I love all things beauty, fashion, entertainment and travel. I am a VS PINK campus representative. I hope to one day make a difference and inspire young girls, I don't know how but I know I will. I love getting to express my thoughts and share my life experiences.
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