Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, collegiette! Love is in the air – along with an overwhelming amount disdain for this lovey-dovey holiday. The pictures of giant teddy bears and roses that are about to flood our Instagram feeds will be met with an equally impressive barrage of posts and tweets about just how single single people are feeling.
All of us college kids have grown up watching Valentine’s Day become more and more commercialized. Companies (ahem, Hallmark) are eager to capitalize on couples’ desires to prove their love to one another. I’m sure everyone is familiar with the abundance of fragrance ads and “get it shipped before February 14” promo emails from brands like Sephora and Birchbox that have been thrust at us since mid-January.
There’s a reason this type of advertising is out there: it works. Companies play off of couples’ insecurities over finding the “perfect” Valentine’s Day gifts for their SOs.
“Wow your girl with this brand new blush from Too Faced!”
“These heart-covered boxer briefs are the perfect gift for your man this V-day!”
They tell us what products will best prove our love. And thus, we as the dating individuals of America have learned to gauge each other’s love by the size of stuffed animals or number of heart-shaped chocolates.
Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be about trying to one-up other couples’ love. It should be about expressing love to your significant other in a way that is unique and meaningful to the two of you. Post about it on social media if you want, but just remember that your love isn’t something to be compared to others’.
And don’t let yourself get caught up in everyone’s gushy relationship stuff if you’re single; treat yourself and enjoy your weekend!