The Pro You hate Valentine’s Day, huh? Well, first ask yourself this question: is your hatred toward this holiday based on the simple fact that you don’t have a Valentine this year? Can you honestly say that you’ll never appreciate this day in the future? It’s a shame that the meaning of Valentine’s Day has been transformed; what was once an excuse for people to display their love and affection has turned into an excuse for people to complain…and complain…and complain. I love everything about Valentine’s Day, and, not only because I have a Valentine this year; even in the past when I didn’t, I enjoyed the holiday. I love the variety of candy, the valentine cards and flowers, the cute gestures that arise and the overall feeling. Whether in a relationship or not, it gives people the chance to speak up when it comes to how they feel or do something cute for someone else, someone they love; Valentine’s Day doesn’t necessarily have to be about romantic love, either. There’s no denying that it’s an absolutely adorable, feel-good holiday–except for some. I’ve heard it all before. “You should show someone you love them every day.” I agree. However, you should celebrate your existence daily, yet birthdays celebrations still occur, right? “It’s way too cheesy and overdone, and it’s all about money.” Doesn’t the same thing occur with literally every other holiday? As much as the shelves are stocked with teddy bears and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, the same goes for Peeps on Easter and candy canes on Christmas. I agree that Valentine’s day should focus on the idea of love rather than money, but people continue to bash the holiday itself, particularly singles. What I find ironic is the fact that the people who complain the most about the holiday are the ones most desperate for a Valentine. No holiday is created to make people feel terrible or lonely. Clearly those that claim to hate Valentine’s day have never had the chance to experience what it’s all about. Valentine’s Day is simply what you make of it. If you’re single, go out and do something with friends. Buy yourself a box of chocolate and enjoy it. Quit complaining and ruining the day for everyone else, because I’m sure that one day down the road it’ll prove purposeful. If you still can’t tolerate it, well, it’s only one day out of the year. The Con Roses are red, violets are blue. My heart is dead, and here is my view. Valentine’s Day: I have only one question. Why? My curiosity is endless as to why people get so ridiculously worked up over this day. What’s so special about it? What makes February 14 anything out of the norm? What’s the big deal?! My first reason as to why Valentine’s Day is so unnecessary is that the morals are all wrong. I find that it consistently disgusts me. Instead of being about spreading love, it’s centered on jealousy, gluttony and lust. People often confuse love with lust. There is a pretty extreme difference between these two feelings. Wanting someone is a far weaker reason for celebration than needing them. Many people focus on physically showing their Valentine how much they appreciate them. Why do you need chocolates or stuffed animals to prove that you care? If you need to bribe the one you ‘love’ to get them to stay in good graces with you, then I don’t quite see how things are working out. My second reason is the purpose. These foolish people fall for the ‘spirit’ of the holiday. Love is in the air, right? Wrong. Want to hear the truth? It’s all about the money. Candy companies, flower distributors and romantic restaurants are just a few examples of the businesses that prosper from your foolishness. The third reason for my disinterest is exclusivity; it only applies to a certain percent of people. What’s the fun in Valentine’s Day for singles? From a single person’s perspective, Valentine’s Day is one of the worst holidays in the year. It’s rubbed in your face over and over again when you see couples’ public displays of affection. Their actions seem to say, “We’re happy and committed while you’re alone. Jealous?” Many of you are now probably saying to yourselves, “Valentine’s Day is all about love, go find someone!” And with this statement, I bring my final point: it’s pointless! How does it benefit the majority of society to have a day like this? The only people who gain the slightest fraction of enjoyment from it are business owners and couples who actually understand it. Everyone else? Not so much. Love is about the build-up of trust, commitment and loyalty over a period of time. In truth, I don’t think that there are many people in this world who truly understand what it’s about. If this is true, why is there a holiday centered around it? There are too many misconceptions about love for Valentine’s Day to take it seriously, in my eyes.