It’s that time of year again. Time for the surplus of jewelry commercials, fancy chocolates, massive sales on roses, and whining. Yes, whining. Something about St. Valentine’s Day brings the best and the worst out of people in our society.
I find that there are two kinds of people on Valentine’s Day. There are the perpetually forever alone, woe and misery to me types, and then there are the let’s make everyone nauseous with our love types. But why is it that people behave this way on Valentine’s Day?
Many people get extremely down in the dumps over being single for Valentine’s Day. For a lot of single individuals, V-Day serves as a painful reminder that their lives lack romance. Being single for Valentine’s Day is honestly no different than being single any other day of the year. Couples go out on dates and exchange displays of affection all year so what difference does one day make?
In our society today there are so many opportunities and experiences that people may pursue, that romance would only hinder. Times have changed. We have left behind the archaic days where a woman’s worth was proven by her ability to obtain a husband, or a man by how many sons he had. There is so much more to our society now. Many people gain fulfillment from their careers, dreams and ambitions. This is not because they are unlovable, but because romance is just not as important to them. These commercial holidays filled with expensive gifts and chocolates are not here to prove our worth in this world. We as individuals prove our worth in our own ways, to ourselves and others.
Single individuals may feel inferior on Valentine’s day because they feel they cannot participate. This is not true. A Valentine could be any person in this world that you hold dear to your heart. The holiday is about love.
Most people have experienced love in several different forms throughout their lives. As far as romance, it is very true what they say: You must first love yourself before you can be loved by another.
Nobody wants to date a person who is constantly down on themselves. The person you love is not there to reassure you that you are worth something. Loving yourself is essential.
If you are single then you can focus on embracing yourself rather than someone else. The key thing you must always remember is that you are number one in your life. No person or holiday should every make you feel differently.
Being single gives you the opportunity to determine exactly who you are and what you want from life. Missing out on a few chocolates on V-Day hardly compares to the dreams and ambitions you have for your life.
Maria Villacorta is a junior mass communication major from Oak Grove.