Valentine’s Day, the infamous day of love, is around the corner. Couples will be going out on dates. Elementary schoolers will be giving out valentines to their crushes and friends. I am not excited about this day. Since I was old enough to understand what Valentine’s Day is, my parents told me that you don’t need one day out of the entire year to show someone that you love them. Love is unconditional, so all the sentiment behind the phrase: “I Love You”, shouldn’t be represented in a single day.
My boyfriend and I have been in a relationship for two years, and we both hate this holiday. We agree that one day shouldn’t be the only day that partners celebrate. You should go out on dates as much as you can if you think spending time with the person you love is one of the best things you can do. We both think this holiday is extremely overrated and I believe many can agree. This holiday puts unwanted pressure on all of us, both single and taken, to feel like we need someone either romantically, sexually, or for the sake of not feeling alone.
Since I do truly hate this day, I have compiled a list of why it is overrated that many can relate to:
1. It makes people not in relationships feel unloved.
This is truly a horrible feeling for a person. It is horrible that during this day, you cannot walk anywhere in public without being reminded of how alone you feel or look when you pass hundreds of couples holding hands in the street or around campus. It is worse enough being surrounded by those symbols every day, and Valentine’s Day makes this feeling worse. This entire day is dedicated to love songs, making out in movie theatres or clubs, Lifetime movies, and smiling girls with those huge teddy bears that will soon go in the garbage or be donated because no one has room to keep such a huge bear, especially in a college dorm with roommates.
2. It gives people who are in a relationship or talking to someone a reason to stress out.
For those in relationships, Valentine’s Day is a headache. It can be another expensive day to plan. People who spend serious amounts of money for the holidays, birthdays and anniversaries, are now expected to pull out their wallets for this random day in February. The usual plans for a guy are getting roses, chocolates, and that expensive dinner reservation. Personally, my boyfriend and I do not celebrate this day. We’d rather make a home-cooked meal, stay in our pajamas, watch movies or binge a TV show.
3. It perpetuates gender stereotypes.
As if gender stereotypes aren’t bad enough in today’s society, Valentine’s Day perpetuates more gender stereotypes. For men, Valentine’s Day is a day to prove how much they love their girl. For women, Valentine’s Day is a day to sit back and relax as their guy breaks his back to give them the perfect night. Valentine’s Day feeds into the stereotype that men are dominant in relationships. The assumption of what women think is “here’s this powerful, strong man, giving me everything I could have wanted, without him, I’d be nothing.” That bothers the feminist in me because it couldn’t be farther from the truth.
4. Every day should be a couple’s day to express their love for each other.
Like I said before, this day should not be the only day to show love or appreciation toward your partner. If you love the person you’re in a relationship with, you should express those feelings daily. You should always treat your partner with as much adoration and love as you do on Valentine’s Day.
5. People in relationships don’t know how to interact with those who aren’t, and vice versa.
Do people in relationships show off all the awesome gifts their partner showered them with this year? What about the love notes he’s left for you all day? On the other side of the spectrum, do you openly roll your eyes when they show you their new gifts? Do you fake happiness for your friend when all you want to do is sit at home with a jar of Nutella, a box of tissues and The Notebook?
There are many reasons why Valentine’s Day sucks, but please do not let yourself cry. Have a Galentine’s Day with your friends, it helps!