February 14th is not everyone’s cup of tea; Valentine’s Day isn’t what it’s cracked up to be

 Let me preface this by saying that I don’t hate Valentine’s Day. I think it’s nice that we have a day dedicated to the people we love, and if you enjoy it, then good for you! Go have fun with your partner; y’all are probably adorable together.

     I’m going to ruin the moment here, though; I can’t get behind Valentine’s Day. The whole holiday is just unnecessary, in my opinion.

     First of all, why are we only dedicating one day of the whole year to the people we love? If you love someone, you should be appreciating them all the time, not just on Feb. 14. Why wait for a holiday to tell someone that you love them? You can do that whenever you want.

     Also, can we talk about how crazy expensive Valentine’s Day is? Last year, it was estimated that over $23.9 billion was spent on Valentine’s Day, according to Forbes Magazine. If you didn’t notice, that’s a whole lot of money–money that could be used for more important things, such as college, rent, or healthcare. Instead, it’s spent on flowers, expensive dinners, and overpriced gifts. I know you might want to give your significant other something special, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! However, buying random, expensive gifts–and the pressure to spend accordingly–can cause massive amounts of debt, which is not worth the risk.

     Not only that, but the whole “excessive gifts” thing can cause unnecessary, or even unconscious, competition in relationships. People post these over-the-top reaction videos of their Valentine’s Day experiences online, and guess what? People see, people do; people see those videos and think, “Man, I really need to step up my game.” Romance is something to experience and enjoy, not to strain yourself over by attempting to meet ridiculously high standards. 

        It’s also important to remember that not everyone is in a relationship. Valentine’s Day has been turned into a couple’s holiday. If they are not yet in a relationship, people may hold a grudge toward anything relationship-related (that is, if they want to be in a relationship at all). 

     Don’t believe me? Go on any social media platform; you’ll find at least one video of a couple doing something cute (like dancing in the rain or playing video games together), and then a duet of the video with someone yelling, “When will it be me?!” as if they’re dying in agony.

     So, here’s the gist: You can enjoy Valentine’s Day all you want; spend a day with your partner, get them unnecessarily expensive gifts, and tell them how much you love them. Just don’t expect to see me joining in on the envy and financial regret.