The Bro Blog Presents… Valentine’s Day

Welcome to the Bro Blog!!!
We have 4 pages of bro opinions on Valentine’s Day for you!!! Check them all out  and enjoy:)

Looking for a specific blogger? Click on their names to navigate to their post!
J.P. Bowgen
Mike Mallazzo
Northwestern Guy
Ben Shartar

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Valentine’s Day is an excuse—an excuse for the less affectionate to come out of their shell and show what they’re really feeling. Of course, the average male prefers to act as though emotion is rarely felt. But this is a prime opportunity. Stores are filled to the brim with all sorts of heart shaped items and various shades of pink and red. This is the one time of the year that guys can go all out and tell that girl “you’re special” or “I like you.” It seems increasingly rare these days. But under the veil of “Valentine’s Day,” things seem less pressured, less forced.

Courtesy should come before confidence, and intimacy before sensuality. Matters of the heart take precedence over all others—a slight change of pace for some. Anyway, you never know what intimacy will lead to, right?

This is very much so a Hallmark holiday. The cards get cornier, the jokes a bit cheesier and the affections flow from each and every pore. That is if you believe in love. Yet again, it’s rare these days.

Valentine’s Day segregates a community—those who believe in love and those who don’t. I like to think those that believe in love have someone that makes them do so. Infatuation can easily be perceived as love, but who cares? Infatuation at the moment is just as good as anything else. Who doesn’t love having someone close to him or her or even someone to hold? One night stands, long-term relationships, they all have a role to play on Valentine’s Day. So what’s my advice to readers, especially the guys? Find someone for the day, even if it is just an acquaintance or a friend, and experience Valentine’s Day for what it’s worth. It’s only once every 365 days that you can tone your testosterone down and feel even a little bit vulnerable. Not your thing? Then wait another 365 days and see if a new year brings a new attitude, because Valentine’s Day is undervalued.

Guys should remember not to expect too much from a girl on Valentine’s Day. This is the one day that girls should feel like they aren’t pieces of meat. Intimacy is a precious commodity, even if it is only for 24 hours. Surely no one ever said nothing should come out of a successful Valentine’s Day, but don’t assume something should happen. In fact, that’s never how it should be.

It’s true, some girls aren’t in to the whole “lovey-dovey” interaction and that’s more hit-or-miss than anything. Guys are even more hit-or-miss. But the point of the day isn’t to seek physical gain. It’s a day off from physical interaction—a day to value the grounds that form all relationships.

But….if you’re not into that sort of thing, take advantage of the chocolates, and those candy hearts that have the little sayings on them. If you’re looking to gain a quick freshman fifteen (because we all definitely are), Valentine’s Day is probably the easiest and tastiest way to go.
 
Keep reading for Mike’s bro blog!
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Dear Lovely Ladies of Northwestern,
 
         Hi again!  I’ve hoped you’ve missed me because I know I’ve certainly missed all of my hercampus readers.  It’s great to be back and even better to be wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.  Today I’ll be giving you valuable insight into the five valentine categories that all of us guys fall into so that you can rate your boyfriend/boy toy/potential flame/sassy gay friend who is always there to pretend for you to see if he is worthy of the precious title of being your valentine.

1. The Perfect Valentine- this is the precious, one-in-a-million guy who has began planning your Valentine’s Day escapade in December.  This is the rare straight man that genuinely enjoyed 500 Days of Summer and didn’t just lie in an attempt to get laid.  Expect a Valentine’s Day filled with chocolate covered strawberries, champagne that isn’t Andre, a massage and flawless romance.  If you are lucky enough to be blessed with one of these guys, hold on to him forever
2. The Cunning Valentine- this is the guy that is secretly simply trying to use Valentine’s Day to his benefit (i.e. to get lucky) but is suave enough to make this outwardly apparent.  He will woo you all day and likely even the weekend before in an attempt to win over your heart and the benefits that come with it.  Though he is not as well-intentioned as the perfect valentine, you will still greatly benefit from being with a guy like this.
3. The Classy Valentine- this is your standard dinner and a movie Valentine’s Day guy.  Expect a nice box of flowers or chocolates and a great night out from this valentine but don’t expect any wild surprises or anything too bold
4. The Rogue Valentine- this guy rejects the mainstream, materialistic corporate American notion of Valentine’s Day and will do entirely his own thing on February 14.  This is the riskiest of the five valentines as he could provide you with the best date of your life or you could be drinking PBR in his apartment listening to Fleet Foxes while your friends are being pampered.
5. The Bad Valentine- this is the guy that forgets what Valentine’s Day is and when he remembers expects to receive a sandwich and sex.  Hercampus readers should have no involvement with this valentine whatsoever.

        Regardless of what type of valentine is in your life, we wish you a happy and healthy Valentine’s Day.  Though nothing will ever scream true romance like grinding at the Keg, Valentine’s Day is still the ultimate chance for any girl to score any guy.  Best of luck, Cupid.

I believe in a thing called love, 

                                                Mike

Read what “Northwestern Guy” has to say about Valentine’s Day on page 4!
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Valentine’s Day According to Our “Northwestern Guy“
           So I’m supposed to write a blog about Valentine’s Day.  First off, I have no clue who created this holiday.  I’m not trying to be harsh, but if it was a girl, it was probably someone who couldn’t get a date.  And if it was a guy, then he’s fucking brilliant because girls must have thought he was “romantic”, but truth is this guy was a player.     
        
            Either way, girls love Valentine’s Day.  It’s like their Super Bowl.  And since guys love girls, we love Valentine’s Day too (most guys like it in a necessary evil kind of way).  As for me, I think Valentine’s Day is great, but it takes on entirely different meanings depending on whether or not I’m in a relationship.

            Let’s start off with the relationship meaning.  Assuming you’re “going steady,” you’ve already been on a handful of dates.  So you can’t just take her to dinner, or a movie or (insert standard common sense date here).  Instead you have to get creative, make it an all day affair.  Now this requires time and effort, but fortunately its pledging quarter, and you can bet those bitches are going to be my humble servants for the day.  I’d start off with her waking up to some flowers or breakfast in bed (served by some pledges) with a note from me that’ll tell her how sweet and sexy she is, and also tipping her off on stuff like this occurring throughout the day.  After another event or two like this, I’d have her meet me in the evening for a classy dinner.  By this point she’s already hot and bothered cause I’m making her feel like she’s the most special girl in the world.  After a good dinner, it’s time for some fun that involves a mattress and lack of clothing.  Now this might seem like a lot, but it’s her day, and by doing this I hope she sees how much I appreciate her (and hopefully buy me a couple weeks worth of fuck ups).

            Despite all that I just wrote, the best Valentine’s Days are for the single people.  Many are under the impression that Valentine’s Day is for guys who are “whipped” or in a relationship.  But I don’t believe that.  I’m a capitalistic kind of guy and Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to better myself with the opposite sex.  What do I mean by that, I’m talking about going for the girl that’s out of my league.  Like I said earlier, girls really care about Valentine’s Day, and those that say they don’t are lying.  So this means that my dream girl is more likely to say yes to a date.  And once that happens, I trust my social and creative abilities to show her a good time might get me a second date, or if I’m really lucky maybe a late night workout sesh.  Either scenario occurs, I win.

            Like I said in the beginning, I have no idea who came up with Valentine’s Day.  What I do know is it’s a day that gives me an opportunity to make a girl feel special because all girls deserve to feel special.  It very well could be a “Hallmark Holiday,” but it’s apart of the love game so act accordingly.

Ben’s got something to say about Valentine’s Day on Page 5!!!
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Valentine’s Day can be a terrible, terrible thing. I hate the idea of taking all the hallmark sappy stuff, squeezing it into 24 hours and placing such high expectations of romance and grandeur upon it. If you take that approach, it is an awful and obnoxious holiday, and the bane of single men and boyfriends alike. So ladies, don’t go crazy if your guy doesn’t greet with you with flowers and chocolates. Instead, give him a chance.

Valentine’s Day can also be beautiful if you view it as a wake up call. A call to get up off your lazy ass and go find someone or take that one you have already found and remind him/her why you love each other. It is dangerously easy to fall into that single/couple slump of not really doing much, staying in on the weekend. For some, it would be what they call the spark being dead. Well this is a day to dust off the charm and get on out there. This is a day to reinvent yourself.

Ladies, Valentines Day is a great time to open yourself up to meet a new guy, and a great time to remind yourself that you are young and in the perfect time to love. Don’t hold an ideal of the “perfect valentines” day, because you will most likely be disappointed. However, have an open mind to your partner or some guy who likes you and let him be himself and he might just surprise you. Romance is best enjoyed when it is unexpected so let yourself be surprised.

For me, I have no expectations from a girl, I just hope she won’t have any expectations from me. I am still a regular guy and just because it is Valentines Day does not change that. It is a great time to wear red, and a great excuse to ask that girl out a guy has been holding a flame for, but not a great time to hold every guy you see to the standards of a perfect prince charming. Remember, on Valentine’s Day even a squire can become a knight.