Valentine's Day may be a holiday devoted to love and the day most couples look forward to receiving gifts. But for some singles, Valentine's Day is a time to show friends and loved ones appreciation for them.
Valentine's Day can often bring feelings of loneliness for those who feel they do not have one to share it with. However, loneliness can be avoided as long as students share their love with other single friends.
According to Molly Proulx, a junior undecided major, it is important to show everyone appreciation on Valentine's Day, especially friends. The holiday is supposed to be a holiday for love. However, Proulx feels it's been turned into a holiday for gift-giving, forgetting the true meaning of love.
"I always think about my friends on Valentine's Day because they are always there for me throughout the year and constantly show me love," Proulx said. "Even just wishing them a happy Valentine's Day and acknowledging my love and appreciation for them is enough, and makes me feel like I've made good use of the holiday."
According to Proulx, even though everyone wants to have a significant other on this special holiday, the friends that are there year round shouldn't be forgotten.
This holiday is not just about exchanging gifts, but also about showing love to those we care about. For students like Jill Johnson, a senior business major, Valentine's Day is about celebrating it with her friends, not just a significant other.
"My friends and I wish each other a happy Valentine's Day," Johnson said. "We don't exchange gifts."
Students like Tessa Shuck, a freshman exercise science major, like to do little things for friends, such as exchanging chocolate or special cards, or other small tokens of affection.
Making little packages for friends that include the simple things is an inexpensive way to keep your friends in mind.
"I have done little candies, or the special Valentines with the stickers, especially if I don't have enough money," Shuck said.
Other students like Victoria Kordovski, a freshman biological sciences major, agree that giving candies is a simple way to show friends that you are thinking about them.
"I just have candy for my friends, and wish them a happy Valentine's Day," Kordovski said.
According to Ashley Wiehl, a sophomore German major, Valentine's Day should be about thinking about others and how much they've done for us, not being concerned about yourself and looking to receive gifts.
"It would be nice if people would think about their friends, but it has been too commercialized," Wiehl said. "If we would think about others and not ourselves, it would be much better."
Valentine's Day is a holiday for love and appreciation, Proulx explained. She added that friends always attribute both of these to each other daily, so this holiday is for showing a close friend that they are loved.
"I love my friends - without them I don't know what I would do. They support me, and love me for who I am always," Proulx said. "I definitely always get my best friends something on Valentine's Day that will show them I am thinking about them. Sometimes my best friends are my Valentines."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
