Love is in the air, and chatter of Valentine’s Day is taking over Emery’s passing period small talk. While some students are trying to get a nice restaurant reservation, others are gawking over the new Chick-fil-A heart platters and quickly texting their group chats in hopes of planning a “Galentine’s Day” brunch. For teenagers, Valentine’s Day elicits a wave of excitement, a flood of frustration, or a rush of indifference. While some Emery students have caught the love bug for the holiday, others see it as an unnecessary celebration in our calendar. 

Since Valentine’s Day often centers around romance, for some, the holiday can feel exclusive. Sophomore Lauren Getz explains how “you can’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day if you don’t have a partner.” On the contrary, Junior Alex Levy thinks that “people have made a nice spin on Valentine’s Day to make it both about romantic and platonic love.” 

One of the ways Valentine’s Day has become more inclusive of those who are not in a relationship is through the celebration of “Galentine’s Day.” Junior Esther Gordon celebrates by  gathering all of her “Galentines” (her best friends) together for a cute heart-themed brunch. “I love how I get to be with my friends on Valentine’s Day and say how thankful I am for them,” says Esther Gordon. 

Junior Daniel Gordon believes that your valentine does not have to be a romantic interest. “You can get anyone as your Valentine as long as you ask them and bring them flowers,” says Daniel Gordon. One of the ways Gordon likes to celebrate the holiday is by eating chocolate and giving/receiving gifts. “Last year I got some pre-workout, and I really enjoyed it,” he says. 

Junior Carly Katz agrees that Valentine’s Day is more than just a celebration of couples. “You can celebrate your parents, your siblings, your grandparents, and really anyone even if you are not in a relationship,” says Katz. 

While Getz sees value in celebrating other people’s happiness on Valentine’s Day, overall, she thinks that the holiday as a whole is unnecessary. According to Getz: “there shouldn’t be a designated day to show the majority of your affection to somebody.” Rather than surprising a partner with flowers because it is February 14th, Getz says, “you should get your partner a bouquet any day of the year just because.” Similar to Getz, Levy is also not a Valentine’s Day enthusiast.

 “Is that something sad about me? Who knows! But I am happy as long as other people enjoy Valentine’s Day,” says Levy.

It is nice to know that over the years, Valentine’s Day has become more about celebrating all the people that you love instead of focusing on a romantic interest. The way one decides to celebrate the holiday is really all up to interpretation. Whether Valentine’s Day consists of a romantic candlelight dinner, a brunch with all your best friends, or eating a tub of ice cream in your room, as long as you are happy, that is all that matters.