Linette Garcia | Staff Writer
The concept of Valentine’s Day has been twisted so much that I don’t see the point in the holiday anymore.
I’m tired of seeing the absurd commercialization of the heart-shaped holiday. I find this day incredibly tedious, pointless and funnily enough, a bit unromantic.
Everywhere I look, there are subliminally-placed teddy bears and a concerning amount of chocolate in flavors I didn’t know existed. Let’s not forget the advertisements that tell us to embark on a “romantic” getaway to some random but expensive place.
It all just feels dishonest and I don’t find that romantic at all.
Honestly, this holiday seems to function as a competition among couples. Relationships are threatened by the excessive and unrealistic expectations of peer-pressure celebration. In other words, spend the most money to show you care about your lover.
The coercion to overspend on Valentine’s Day has gotten out of hand. Companies commodify romance for their love of greed and sales, leaving lovers to waste their pockets on unnecessary heart-decorated items.
Not only is it a burden to find the ideal gift for your partner, but to also ensure the present is of the highest quality and triple its value.
Is it the season of love or the season of spending?
Following the gift-giving to your partner, all the balloons, candy and fresh-cut flowers are discarded in a not-so-sweet landfill after Valentine’s Day. Instead of being adorned with rose petals, Lover’s Lane is littered with overwhelming trash.
And I can’t help but feel indirectly bullied for not being in a relationship. It’s nearly impossible to escape the relentless reminders of Valentine’s Day. As everyone shares their relationship status online, I suddenly get a strong urge to do a social media detox.
These idealized accounts of love festivities on media platforms evoke a sinking sense of yearning for genuine romance — it leaves me so depressed. In fact, 15 million adults in the U.S. said their mental health is worse around Valentine’s Day which isn’t that surprising.
I find it a bit funny that social media accounts are adding singles to the lovey-dovey goodness by recommending things for us to do this Valentine’s Day, like having a solo dinner date or buying ourselves flowers.
But what’s the point of being offered these ideas if I can do them on another day?
Valentine’s Day no longer seems like a day to celebrate love. Rather just a day to remind us that we’re single or to buy something for your partner.
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The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect the perspectives of contributing writers and/or university community members.
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