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Why I Still Believe in Valentine’s Day

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hofstra chapter.

So many people are anti-Valentine’s Day now, saying it shouldn’t be a holiday – especially people who are single. But I love Valentine’s Day and always have!

Growing up, my parents always celebrated Valentine’s Day with us. We didn’t do anything big, but our whole family would always write cards to each other, telling them how much they mean to us. Of course as a little kid, it was exciting to go into school with the Hannah Montana valentines I picked out and a huge bag of candy to share. I remember how I used to give my crushes the better cards that came in the pack (it was the first grade).

As I got older, obviously Valentine’s Day became more about couples. Although it’d be a dream if someone confessed their love for me, I still always enjoyed the day. It makes me so happy to see people giving each other flowers. And my mom never failed to leave a giant pile of heart-shaped candy on my bed. I just love love so much, it’s exciting to have so much happiness in the air.

 

I was so excited in high school for when I would have my first Valentine’s Day with a boyfriend. I pictured an extremely romantic day. Instead, I got a text on Valentine’s Day Eve saying he wanted to break up with me. You would think that would make me hate the day forever, but I’m still not discouraged. For all you single ladies out there: I understand your pain, but that’s no reason to hate on the holiday that brings so many love and joy.

Sure, I understand that Valentine’s Day can cause a lot of pain, making people feel lonely. And I agree your SO should bring you flowers because he thought of you on his way to see you, instead of buying you chocolates and flowers because he’s “supposed to.” But there is nothing wrong with taking a day to appreciate all of the love in the world. Love is one of the most important things in life. If you’re celebrating with a significant other, that’s great! Take a day to be extra appreciative of how great your love is. If you’re single, go out with your friends or make a nice dinner with your family. Tell them how much you appreciate them and love having them in your life.

 

Love is not something to be bitter or jealous about. Spread love wherever it needs to be; compassion is the cure to hate and war. And if you are still upset about being single, it’s fun to have a night with your girls to dress up, wear red lipstick, and go have fun!

Amanda is a student at Hofstra University studying public relations with minors in design and radio/tv/film. She loves to dance, paint, and experiment with vegetarian cooking. Amanda loves being involved in her sorority, Alpha Theta Beta, as well as being a volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters on campus. Additionally, she loves animals, environmental advocacy, communications, and event planning. (Please note that Her Campus nationals removed photos from articles that existed before 2019 and therefore my original photos are not included for those articles)