February 14th; for some exuberant high school students, this day is one of the most special of the year. 24 full hours of a day, purely dedicated to love, appreciation, and celebration of the significant relationships in life. For others, however, this day of ‘pure love’ is frankly unnecessary, and simply exists as a harsh reminder to those lacking a relationship. I mean, every day is a day for love, right? Why should we go above and beyond for this one day?

For pro-valentines, this holiday exists for that reason; to go above and beyond for the significant relationships in one’s life, including familial, platonic, and romantic relationships. For high school students, it’s a day to express their affection for the important ones in life— including yourself. From exchanging gifts, cards, flowers, or even the bubbly excitement of young love, the constant pressures associated with high school are cooled by these simple moments; those moments that leave you feeling loved, feeling cared for, and feeling a part of something. 

This same inclusivity and connectedness for Valentine’s Day— though in theory, shapes a sense of community and shared experience— leaves those without a significant other isolated. This constant social pressure and expectations in high school for these partnerless students, and perhaps even the awkwardness when a variety of Valentine’s Day activities occur without them involved— such as candy grams, or flower-giving.

These identical events and gifts often assist in the commercialization of Valentine’s Day as a whole; students are pressured to spend money on gifts or participate in events for the sake of it, leaving no genuity in this day of love. This holiday can even highlight insecurities for some students, especially those who believe they don’t fit into the traditional “couple”  or perfect dynamic of a relationship.

So, how do we find the middle ground? The answer is simple; we as a society encourage people, particularly high school students to celebrate Valentine’s Day in their way— or not at all. Valentine’s Day can be celebrated in a way suitable for each student; whether it’s showing romantic love, caring through a platonic friendship, self-love, and appreciation, or not loving at all. Rather than belittling existing Valentine’s Day traditions, students can craft their traditions such as the recently popular Galentine’s Day, a celebration of friendships. 

By carrying this love and spirit past February 14th, students around the world will love, care for, and lead with affection all year round; after all, the true value of Valentine’s Day is how individuals choose to engage with it— whether that be through romantic gestures, friendship, self-love, or simply not participating at all— and how they celebrate beyond the holiday.