With Valentine’s Day approaching, the anxieties of the holiday can be disastrous for some, while others see it as a day just like any other.
Sinclair Community College student Tim Eckley knows just how wrong the holiday can go.
“A few years ago, I got dumped on Valentine’s Day,” he said. “We went to dinner, she dumped me before dessert — just like that. I still paid the bill and everything.”
Eckley acknowledged his experience was certainly a worst-case scenario.
“That was by far the weirdest one,” he said. “But it’s still my least favorite holiday, regardless.”
While some students loathe the holiday, others seem to reject the idea of Valentine’s Day altogether. Adam Deaton, a first-year Biology major at Sinclair, stays away from the excitement.
“I prefer the anti-Valentine parties,” he said. “Last year, a bunch of friends and I stayed in to watch movies and play board games.”
According to Deaton, spending time with friends helps take some of the stress away from not having a valentine.
Sinclair Counselor Eric Henderson agrees.
“Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a celebration of an intimate relationship,” he said. “It can simply be a celebration of love for friends and family.”
Henderson notes that just because two people are together doesn’t necessarily mean they’re happy.
“Don’t let your happiness be based on whether you’re in a relationship or not,” he said. “Avoid the hype.”
Alexis Romer, an English major at Sinclair, said her most memorable Valentine’s Day came on a year that she was single.
“Last year, a few of my work friends and I went all-out and made valentines for each other, it was like we were back in elementary school,” she said. “Don’t take it too seriously and you won’t get hurt.”
The idea of not taking it too seriously seems to work for others as well. Katey Smalley, a Computer Science major, tries to keep the holiday as light-hearted as possible.
“It’s so commercialized, I just try not to get too into it,” she said. “You can do something nice for someone you love any day of the year, without the stress of Valentine’s Day.”
First-year student Mason Rex knows firsthand the stress of the holiday.
“I remember my first Valentine’s Day with my first girlfriend was a disaster,” he said. “I had a fever, but I tried to go out anyway. I threw up at dinner in front of the whole restaurant. I’m not with that girl anymore.”
Deaton also mentioned restaurants as one of his least favorite parts of the holiday.
“I always hated taking a date out to dinner on Valentine’s Day, because every restaurant is so crowded. It’s the total opposite of romantic,” he said.
According to the National Restaurant Association, Valentine’s Day is the second busiest day of the year for restaurants, after Mother’s Day.
Still, others don’t seem to mind the holiday. For first-year student Ashley Jenkins and her boyfriend, Valentine’s Day has become a tradition that revolves around good food and drinks.
“The last few years, my boyfriend and I have gotten a heart-shaped pizza from Cassano’s. We keep it simple,” she said. “For us, that’s the true meaning of Valentine’s Day — heart-shaped pizza.”